Tips for a User-Friendly Classroom

By Sue Hodges

With the beginning of a new school year, it’s time to reflect back on past years, and plan new strategies to make this school year the most rewarding ever. An inviting classroom, dynamic curriculum, and a positive, enthusiastic teacher are essentials for a successful year.

First of all, let’s begin with a bright, cheerful classroom. We spend hours decorating our homes as tastefully and beautifully as we know how and can afford. We dine at restaurants with elegant cuisine and ambiance. Then, why in the world do we spend days of our lives in drab, sterile classrooms, when with a little money and imagination, we can make them attractive and inviting?

Plants and silk flowers can be purchased very inexpensively at Wal-mart, Family Dollar, or the Dollar Store. We also need to get rid of the clutter. If you, like me, must hold onto it, arrange it neatly or hide it (in case you ever need it).

Bulletin boards with vibrant displays that correlate with the skills and concepts being taught stimulate interest and are a wonderful teaching tool. Big Bend School Supply has an excellent assortment of bulletin board materials, including Celebrations of Cultures Around The World, The Solar System, The Rain Forest, Ancient Civilizations, and Endangered Species, as well as a variety of math skills and concepts. If you use fadeless paper on the background, you can leave it up all year.

A strong curriculum that provides for the different learning styles of each student, as well as the unique cultural differences of each student, is a must. Also, whole group as well as individual sessions keep interest high and prevent boredom, plus students learn from verbal interaction with the teacher and each other. It’s important for the teacher to circulate, for some students are too shy or embarrassed to ask for help, and the teacher can catch mistakes before the student has done the entire assisgnment incorrectly.

Last, but not least, the teacher must be warm and welcoming. Make eye contact, and greet each student with a smile and a cheery hello. Let them know that you are genuinely concerned about their progress and welfare. Celebrate small successes!

With an attractive classroom, a rich and varied curriculum, and a friendly and caring teacher, you’re off to a great start! Have a wonderful year!