- Friday 26 November 2021
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The teaching community has truly taken Instagram™ by storm in the last few years. With teaching tips, school outfits, classroom décor and everything in between, many teachers are now turning to Instagram for classroom inspiration. We have been particularly interested in the classroom décor Instagram trend. With currently over 447 000 posts tagged #classroomdecor, teachers all over the world are hopping aboard the trend of sharing their wonderfully decorated classrooms.
This year we have connected with many teachers on Instagram, working to expand our network within the online teaching community. As part of our ‘Teacher of the Week’ initiative, every fourth week we asked teachers to share pictures of their classroom in a segment dubbed ‘Classroom tour’. We were so impressed with their classroom décor! Decorating the classroom can be a great way for teachers to both express themselves and create an inviting space for children to learn in.
In this blog we will feature some of the amazing teachers and classrooms we've connected with on Instagram, highlight the benefits of creating a welcoming classroom space, and finally list some classroom décor ideas to get you started.
Classrooms of Instagram
Below are some of the amazing classrooms that were shared with us as part of ‘Teacher of the Week: Classroom tour’. Whilst each classroom had its own unique spin in terms of decor, there was a common theme among all: wanting a warm, inviting and welcoming classroom space. We interviewed each teacher and asked them to describe to us why they chose to decorate their classroom the way they did. This is what they said ...
Daniela, Year 4 teacher @primarywithdaniela
‘I wanted to create a calm, safe and welcoming environment through plants and minimal decor. I definitely got some inspiration through a colleague of mine, as well as Instagram.’
Juliet, Year 3 teacher @teachingwjuliet
‘My aim in my classroom was to make it a calm and belonging place, that is also purposeful and changes constantly depending on what the kids are learning. I’m all about interactive walls and spaces in the classroom, as well as changing the layout sometimes to keep it fresh!’
Annie, Year 2 teacher @stepinsidemyclassroom
‘A classroom should be a place which feels warm, inviting and calm. My aim was to cut back on the bright colours and go with a natural feel. The best part is getting to see the faces of the students when they first walk into the classroom and every day that follows, knowing that they are happy and enjoy being in their learning space.’
Meaghan, Year 1 teacher @learnwithmissahearn_
‘Setting up my classroom was such a fun, creative and exciting process. My vision was for a colourful and warm classroom, but with an element of calm. I loved the idea of a ‘Wow wall’ to display student work, a ‘Chill zone’ where students could read a book or take some time out if needed and a ‘Word wall’ to highlight awesome words each week.’
Benefits of a welcoming classroom space
The appearance of your classroom goes beyond being simply ‘Insta-worthy’. The way you decorate and set up your classroom impacts your students’ learning experience. Adding a personal touch to your classroom can help your students feel more ‘at home’ and at ease, making them more ready to learn. The layout, appearance, functionality and interactivity are all important factors when thinking of your classroom décor. Throughout our suggestions below we discuss the benefits of implementing each idea in your classroom.
Classroom décor ideas
Feeling inspired to decorate your own classroom now? We have some fun classroom décor ideas to get you started. Great classroom décor doesn’t necessarily mean forking out lots of money. The main thing is that it’s a space that you and your students feel happy and ready to learn in. After all, you’re there five days a week!
Decorate with a bit of ‘you’
When stuck with ideas on where to start, first think of things you love. It is your classroom after all! This can inspire a theme for your class, or even just a few special items that give your class character. For example, Mr Curmi from @mrcurmisclassroom is an avid basketball fan, and has dubbed his classroom the ‘basketball classroom’. He has his signature mini basketball hoop, along with other basketball memorabilia around his toom. This not only makes the class a space you enjoy being in, but it’s fun for the kids too!
Display your students’ work
This one is easy: create a space in the classroom where you can display your students’ work. This is a great choice for classroom décor for many reasons. Students get to see their work on display (confidence boost and sense of pride right there) and it immediately personalises the classroom. Not only will it feel like your classroom, it will feel like the students’ as well! Give your student work display a fun name—we loved the ‘Wow wall’ by @learnwithmissahearn_ and ‘Bee-autiful work!’ by @teachingwjuliet for her class, 3B.
Plants, plants, plants
Plants are a fantastic way to bring life to your classroom (literally). Not only do they brighten up the space and add colour, they can also be a great way to get the kids involved by caring for them. You can incorporate the plants into science lessons, and have a roster for the children to water them. This will give the children a sense of responsibility and encourage them to take pride in their classroom space.
Ask the kids
Stuck for inspiration for a new semester or term? Ask the kids on the last day of term if they have any ideas for themes, or anything that they would like to include in the class for the following term. Kids love being creative, and often come up with fantastic out-of-the-box ideas! This could be a fun end-of-term art activity, as well as an opportunity for the kids to collaborate and work together to create new classroom décor.
Have a ‘comfy’ space
Every classroom needs a space where kids can take time out and feel at ease. This may be a special reading corner, or a nap area for the younger year levels (and teachers as well?). A few cushions, rugs and soft toys can turn a reading area into a cosy, comfortable space for children to ‘take five’ or enjoy quiet reading time.
Mix up the seating arrangements
It’s a good idea to switch up your students’ seating arrangement every now and then. This not only freshens up the classroom, it also allows for different learning opportunities. You can sort the desks into clusters, perfect for small group work activities. For an arrangement more suitable for whole-class discussion, organise the desks in a ‘U’ shape, facing towards the front of the class. The possibilities are endless!
Feature special days
Special days are the perfect time to incorporate some fun changes in your classroom décor. This is also a great chance to again involve your students in some fun artsy activities.
Educational posters
Now this one seems like a no-brainer, but educational posters are the perfect way to dress up your classroom and be functional as well! What’s a more ideal classroom décor choice than educational posters? We have a wide range, covering many different learning areas, from maths and spelling to bullying and behaviour management.
For the younger years, we have our bright and fun selection of Early Years Themes posters. They cover a range of topics, including animals, fairytales, fantasy, people, places, science and special days and celebrations.
In need of an easy classroom décor bundle that’s sorted for you? The majority of our poster bundles come in sets of five or six posters, but we even have some with up to 23 posters included! Designed to be visually appealing and informative for kids, just attach them to the walls and you’re good to go.
Check out the full range here.
Word wall
A word wall is another great educational exercise that can add interest to an area of your classroom. You could start the week with some focus words taken from your upcoming lessons, or add words throughout the week as they are highlighted during lessons; e.g. when students are unsure of the meaning or spelling. You could also have areas of your word wall devoted to different learning areas, such as English, maths, science and HASS. This will help students to build their vocabulary across their subjects. We also have some mathematics word wall posters that can get you started.
Have any other ideas for fun and functional classroom décor? Let us know in the comments or tag us on socials with your classroom décor tips. We’d love to see!