I think I became a teacher because of bulletin boards. Honestly. I just love them. I love creating them. I love doing interesting and different things with them. I love how they look when they come out just "right". They really are a highlight of my teaching life.
However, I don't just create boards and leave them up all year. You will NEVER find a board in my room with anchor charts or pre made store bought items. Bulletin boards for me are always a display of student work (with one minor exception at times for Calendar Math....but that is sort of student work) I know others enjoy having reference materials on their boards...and that is great! But for me, I just feel like the kids spend so much time on the work they do, why not display it everywhere??
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| You can see in this picture (of my class last year) that I even use the windows and in between the windows to display student work. |
I also have to have coordinating boards and backings. Since my first day of teaching, I have just done this. I don't know why. I just think it looks nice to have a main color border and a white underneath. I also like having the coordinating paper backing as a frame for the work. Again, I think it looks nice and put together.
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| Here you can see that all of the backing paper matches the color of the border (which also goes with the "theme" of the American Revolution that we are studying) |
This really does not take too much time to do. I staple all pieces of paper onto the board together, so I don't preback, and then display. I do it all at the same time.
My signs are also all coordinated, yet functional. I like to have signs that tell anyone who is walking in exactly what they are looking at. I have the task, a rubric, and a standard placed on each board. Again, this lets those who are coming into my room know what the students have been learning. It also gives the students themselves a reminder of the standards we have covered.
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| You can see that the standards, task, and rubric are posted above the board. The title sign is in the middle. Of course, there are t-pins holding the works and sign. |
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OK...that is it. Nothing too terribly life changing, just wanted to share. Do you like bulletin boards? How do you display your student work?
Your bulletin boards look wonderful! Your students can see that you truly value their work!
ReplyDeleteLori
Conversations in Literacy
Thank you Lori!
DeleteAwesome job and post, Stephanie!!
ReplyDeleteI have got to get me some T-pins. Every single time I see one of your bulletin boards I want them even more.
ReplyDeleteJen
Runde's Room
I hear you on the anchor charts/posters. This approach is my goal each year... but surely it is something I work on finding student work for resources for the kids.
ReplyDeleteWe have had a strong push for anchor charts in my district. I teach K and my anchor charts always have student work (I fold and tape the applicable part on) or resources the kids have access too. For example, on my counting chart I had taped a name tag as a reference for them to remember to look there if they need it. Well.. a few months ago we had to share our anchor charts and I was the only teacher k-6 with any student work and even pictures! They all just wrote definitions with color coding. I know it is a process but still very shocking to see things not made MEANINGFUL for kids. (And I don't think putting up a chart of pure words on a chart paper is meaningful... call me crazy!)
Simply Primary
It looks great! Thanks for sharing. (I came from Lori's blog. You can thank her!) :)
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First
Great bulletin boards! Have you tried using fabric as your board cover? Easy to get all different kinds, esp. at Walmart, for different seasons or themes, don't fade, easy to store, and less paper waste.
ReplyDeleteHow do you decide which students work to put up?? Do you alternate students, choose it based off of the "best" looking? Best effort? Random selection? Just wondering how you decide :)
ReplyDeletenice one:)
ReplyDelete