This is a list of different ways to decorate a classroom if you don't have alot of money (or any extra at all). Most of the ideas are where you can get decorations for free or very, very cheap.
This first section is basically for a classroom that's student-decorated. This is how I (Amber) tend to decorate my classroom. I like for my students to take pride in their classroom, so I put their work on the wall for decorations. Usually, my whole first day is having them do different crafts/projects to decorate the classroom.
- Have several craft projects planned for your students for Day One. Hang these from the ceiling (with string you bring from the States) or Tape, Silly Putty these crafts tot he wall. Suggested crafts:
- Acrostic Poem using name (each letter of name gets a descriptive word next to it) and illustrate it
- Younger kids - have them draw a picture of themselves/families
- Have kids draw picture of them in a setting of their dream vacation (make sure they don't draw scantily clad beach pictures)
- Have students make name plates (out of copy paper or construction paper) for their desks
- Have students decorate paper plates to look like a stained glass window/picture and hang on the wall.
You get the point :)
Borrowing/Buying cheap decorations:
- If you're able to print things out for free in the computer lab at DBU, you could search online for teacher classoom decorations, print them out, and color them before you go. There's TONS of stuff online that you can just print. If you can bring it on a thumb drive and print it out there, that'll save you luggage space.
- If you wanted to have the ABC's going around the top of the classroom or something, you can print those out online and color them in.
- If your mom/grandmother has extra rolls of Chistmas/birthday wrapping paper sitting around in a closet, flatten the roll and bring it with you. This can be used for bulletin board backgrounds, or you can use it for other craft projects. Same thing works with cloth scraps (if you know someone who sews, they'll have tons of cloth scraps).
- Ask family/friends for old t-shirts (especially Texas/United States or local business t-shirts.) You can hang these on your walls for decor.
- Pictures of your family/friends (collages or individaul pictures) are great to hang on your classroom walls for your kids to look at. You can have students bring pictures of their famlies (or draw pictures) and hang them with yours.
- Garage sales, resale stores and thrift stores are great for little trinkets/decorations.
- Travel agencies have great picture brochures. Arrange these on the wall. Pictures are great, plus you can use them in teaching at any point.
- Go around to your favorite restaurants and ask for their to-go menu's. Arrange them on your walls.
- Create a "Word Wall". Here's an explanation of what a word wall is: http://teachnet.com/lessonplans/language-arts/interactive-word-wall-language-arts-writing-lesson-plan/ Or google "Word Wall". Also, google "word wall jpg" and you'll get some pictures of some word walls. There's tons of ways to do one, and they can be a wonderful teaching tool (and decorative tool) :)
- If you decide to have "secret pals" with another class, you could have your class decorate mailboxes to put their "letters" in and have the mailboxes hang on a section of the wall.
- Make colorful posters with classroom rules or other lists of things (things about integrity, how to be nice to friends, how to be a good student, etc). These can be bought pretty cheaply or you can make them. (Hand draw or print)
- Walk around your parents house and see what interesting things they have to decorate your classroom (with their permission of course). Look for things that look especially American.
