Let's Talk About... Your Classroom Theme?

[TeacherRW]

Do you have one or is it more like a color scheme? Do you collect things (by your request or by default) that have become a trademark of yours? And really, while we are at it, let's have a look at your room.

OK... so who's going first? I started the thread. So, *nah-nah-nah*, you're it!! :)

[scrivener]

I share a classroom with my homeroom partner, so I don't have total control over the look of our space. However, I am a fan of the Oakland Raiders, while she is a fan of the Raiders' long-time rivals, the Denver Broncos. As the last few years have passed, our opposite sides of the room have taken on a kind of Raiders vs. Broncos theme. Whenever I buy a new poster or pennant for my side of the room, I get her one, too, with her team's colors and logo. We make our homeroom take sides, and when the teams play each other (that's twice a year), the losing side brings breakfast for the winning side.

The rest of the room is a bunch of math posters, since we're both math teachers. One wall is dedicated to poetry and literature, since I also teach those subjects. Instead of an alphabet strip over the dry-erase boards, we have a geometrical shapes strip.

I used to collect apples, since I get so many apple things from my students (as do we all, I'm sure), but when I came to this school and saw that my partner also had an apple collection, I decided to go for something else. So when students go on trips, I jokingly tell them to bring me back a snowglobe. Once or twice a year, a student decides to take me seriously, and brings me back a snowglobe! I now have them from Disneyland, NYC, Thailand, Sydney, Yellowstone, and Spain. It's a nice little collection. The students seem to like it, too.

When we have a senior homeroom, we like to keep a collection of tardy passes on the wall. It makes a funny wallpaper, and the seniors like keeping track of who's having trouble getting through the doors on time in the mornings. Can't do that with underclassmen, since they're just not tardy as much and since they tend not to have the right senses of humor for something like this.

I'd show you a picture of my room, but my partner and I are getting a brand-new room when school starts up (with a SmartBoard -- it pays to be a computer teacher), so everything's packed away now, awaiting the move.

Okay. Who's next? :)

[Sassafras]

This is my first year teaching. I'll be teaching third grade. I have thought about this all summer and still haven't made up my mind....I thought about in the Garden, NASCAR, NARNIA, and pirates. If you have ideas on any of these themes, I would love to hear them.

In the garden would be easy with lots of plants, a park bench for reading, or a small patio set, a small grass type rugon the floor, a small quite water fountain that you have to be standing on top of to hear. (It's a small inside table top fountain). Wind chimes outside of the window. Soft bird, swamp, or babbling brook music. To much??

[lia]

Our school's nickname is "The Golden Sunshines" so that's what you'll see a lot of in my classroom--smiling suns. :p Plus, our school colors are green and yellow, so since the interior of my classroom is a dull green, it's nice to jazz it up with bright yellow. From their name tags to their desk tags to their book labels--I try to put that smiling sun on everything. It's on their uniform anyway, so they're used to seeing it, and who can come to school grumpy when they see a big smiling sun beaming at them? :rolleyes:

In my corner of the room though, I have a lot of dolphins. I guess my love of dolphins come out as I speak (either that, or the kids hear from their siblings, neighbors, etc.) because the little sweeties are always bringing me little dolphin things or drawing me dolphin pictures, so I have them all around my desk. Oh, I guess that also gives away to the children that I love dolphins ;)

[LeslieC]

Mine is overtaken by frogs and Garfield. The tops of all personal computers, bookshelves, and cabinets, and tvs are surrounded by frogs given by students or bought by me. And every year on Valentine's, one of my boys brings me a huge stuffed frog that becomes the year's mascot and sits in the front of the room, and, sometimes, with a good behavior/improved behavior awarded student. I'd show pics, but that area of technology I've yet to master.

[AAA Teacher Forum]

When I came to my current school a couple of years ago, I decided to go with my newest passion (other than kids & technology)...scuba diving. When I left my old school, my teammates helped get me started with some calendar punch outs, stickers, and bboard border.

I am in a year-round school and every 9 weeks I pack up my entire classroom, move out, enjoy 3 weeks off, and then move back into a different room. Because of this, I can't get as many decorations in my room as I would like. I have however, managed to collect a number of items: bboard pieces, more border, more stickers, items like lamps I tried getting in blue, bookmarks, folders, etc. But my favorite addition had to be my CDRom fish. I found a pattern online using foam, CDs, and google eyes...I made about 8 different colored fish for my table groups. I hung them with fishing line so it looks like they are just "swimming" through our classroom." The kids and adults love them.

I think having a theme in your classroom that YOU really enjoy can help keep you relaxed and happy.

Jennifer

[TeacherRW]

The only theme that I have had in my classroom has really been my use of purple. I have a small number of TAZ stuffed animals and trinkets that have trickled in over the years but nothing elaborate. Last year I used a NASCAR theme as my husband and I are big fans. Go, Jr #8, GO!! This year I am using a sports theme with the "TEAM" motto. "Together Everyone Achieves More". I bought several items with a sports theme on them and will try to incorporate it on my school webpage also. I can't wait to get into school and start putting up my things. I moved classrooms within the school at the end of last spring so all of my things are packed in boxes and scattered around my room right now.