From blank walls to bold spaces

2–3 minutes

Classroom decorations and their effects on students

Staff Writer

Thoughtfully decorated classrooms feel different. Being surrounded with fun posters, other student projects, and encouraging words play a powerful role in student learning and engagement.

“I’ve put up fun decorations, student work, and educational guides for students,” said Mr. Iglesias, an AP World History teacher. “The fun stuff breaks the ice and makes students more comfortable—especially underclassmen. Putting up student work creates camaraderie by opening up discussions. Students also tend to like to see their own work on the wall.”

Decorations not only help students feel at ease, but also make a classroom feel more dynamic. “When I taught AP European History, students started competing to see who could make the best project about Louis XIV. I put up the ones that I thought were the best, and had the students do a sort of museum walk around.” It is this kind of interaction that makes a class fun and gives students independence and a sense of ownership in the space.

Students also agree that decorations can make a big difference. “It is important for teachers to make their classrooms feel inviting. Whether it’s with posters of words of encouragement or fun artwork, it really encourages me and makes me actually look forward to the class,” said Nikhita Kadam (12).

Sometimes, it’s the teacher’s personal touches that make the biggest difference. “My Donald Duck collection definitely gets people talking at the beginning of the year, which is generally the time when they don’t particularly want to,” Mr. Iglesias explained. “AP World is usually also sophomores’ first AP class, so I think those kinds of decorations take away the intimidation.” Decorations may even spark conversations that might not happen otherwise. “Decorations get students to ask questions, which creates a dialogue, even if it has nothing to do with school.” These moments of connection encourage non-academic conversations to take place, helping students feel more comfortable in the classroom.

Still, it’s important to maintain a balance. “It can be overstimulating to have too much classroom decoration, so I try to balance things out,” said Mr. Iglesias. “There are things that can be educational learning tools and others that are artwork from students. I just don’t want things to be too overwhelming, especially according to the fire department!”

Decorations can also show a teacher’s effort to make everyone feel included. When Mr. Iglesias put up Christmas decorations, he asked two Muslim students to see how they felt about it. “They loved it! It’s definitely more of a traditional thing.”

At the end of the day, it’s the little details that matter. Whether it’s goofy figurines or interesting posters, classroom decorations create a space where students feel seen, welcomed, and excited. “When I first came to high school, decorations made me feel like teachers actually wanted me to have a good experience,” explained Dyuthi Karedla (9).