Classroom decoration is an important part of the school day to all students. Whether they want it very decorated or not decorated at all, it has an impact on their learning and overall emotions at school. We asked students and teachers what they thought about classroom decoration and how it affects them and their learning/ teaching.
Mr. Locke, a Freshman Math Teacher says “decorations on the walls are key for an ADHD mind to focus”. He says it gives him something to look at instead of seeing empty walls. Mr. Locke has decorations all around his room, including artwork from students, flags, math posters, small toys, and candy rewards. Freshman Abby Drake says “rooms too decorated are distracting, I prefer less decorated rooms” including that too much can be overwhelming and instead of focusing on work and paying attention she’s focused on what the poster on the wall says.
This brings us to our next question, is classroom decoration a high standard for students to have? Mr. Banks Health teacher says, “If the students buy it or make it, I’ll put it up but I’m not buying anything.” Mr. Locke says, “yes so much is already expected from teachers, we’re here to teach not decorate.” On the other hand, Raigan Bennett and Miley Gumbert say, “No they should decorate.”
Actual resources say “The results showed that while children learned in both classroom types, they learned more when the room was not heavily decorated. Specifically, children’s accuracy on the test questions was higher in the sparse classroom (55 percent correct) than in the decorated classroom (42 percent correct)” They found that children in highly decorated classrooms were more distracted, spent more time off-task and demonstrated smaller learning gains than when the decorations were removed. But there has to be more than test scores, right? How students feel in a classroom matters too.
We asked students who they thought had the best decorated classrooms and these are the teachers they chose…
Mr. Curtis has a colorful rainbow wall where the board is painted by his students, sports posters scattered on the walls. He keeps his lights dim and his smart board is usually on. Mr. Curtis is a funny and pretty laid-back teacher. He teaches social studies, and his class is pretty easy if you pay attention.
Mrs. Martini has tons of Spanish history all over her room so it keeps people interested but it isn’t too much at the same time
Ms. Evanson has a blue vibe with plants, greenery, and motivational quotes around the room. She usually keeps her lights low and likes to play music. This vibe helps Ms. Evanson run the Harrison Paw Print, and teach ELA, Journalism, and drama.
Mrs. Vaughn’s room is cozy. It also always has this comforting scent; it always makes you calmer. The room is usually cooler so sometimes you need a jacket. The lights are almost always off, and it makes it seem calmer since the lights aren’t blinding you while you work. She is one of the chilliest teachers and one of the best classrooms. She is one of the 504 teachers.
Mr. Zureick’s classroom is very experimental. He has beakers and flasks in his cabinets, and it makes it feel fun and exciting. Overall, his room is not super decorated but it has some interesting additions. His lights are usually on, so it is brighter and keeps you awake more. The temperature is colder, but it is just right. He is a fun teacher, but he is strict, so it helps students get their stuff done. He is pretty interactive which also helps keep adolescents entertained and learn more.
