How Do You Make Your Classroom Look Great?

What could be better than winning a $25 gift certificate right before school starts - don't forget to enter my Back to School Giveaway...it ends soon!  Keep reading and you can also find out how to get a cool math poster!

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So, I really want to make my class more interesting and exciting this year.  I think, in general, the kids I have in class like coming to my class, but I want them to really want to come each day, just to see what we are going to do next!

I think that starts with making the room exciting in a visual way.  I shared this on another blog in a comment, but then I thought -- I'm going to expand on that in a post myself.  At my school, as a veteran teacher, I get observed once a year by one of the three assistant principals.  Last year, I gave what I thought was a very good lesson, and was fine with going in to talk to the assitant principal during our post conference.

The one thing she really had to say to me was that I needed to put things up on my bulletin board so that the kids have something to look at.  I admit - I didn't have a great reaction to this comment initially - I mean my lesson was great, the kids participated, they know the math.  I mean seriously, this is all she could find to say - didn't she notice the kid nodding off in the back???  Aren't the kids supposed to be looking at what I'm doing anyway??  (Disclaimer:  I do have things up on my bulletin boards...but they generally don't change and I mean how exciting is that Einstein poster or those fractals after you've looked at them all year...I just don't want you to think my bulletin boards are just sitting there completely blank!)

But, after doing a little more reflection over the summer, a small voice inside me said - hey what CAN I do to make this place more exciting?  So I have a couple of ideas, and I am open to others that you may have.

One thing I am going to do is put up a big math crossword puzzle that I found.  I wish I could tell you where I found it, but I have had it in my file for a long time, and I just don't know.  I think I found it in some kind of math calendar that I had a long time ago.  Anyway, I took it to Staples and had them enlarge it to 18 x 24.  I will hang it on my front bulletin board.  I'll encourage kids that get to class early to see if they can fill in a clue or two before class starts.

The next thing I am going to try is putting up a funny math joke that I get from the internet, or that I design myself.  I will try to have it at least sometimes have to do with the day's lesson.  Right now I have one that I designed for free on my facebook page.  If you like me on facebook, you'll be able to grab this poster for free.  (After you like me on facebook, go to the free math resources tab and click on it.  Click the image and that will take you to the google doc where you can get the poster.)  Be on the look out, I'm sure that I will make more posters to share as the year goes on.

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