Your classroom layout, displays and decorations are important to help motivate and stimulate your students. A classroom that is comfortable, friendly and colourful, creates a very positive learning and social environment for your students.

Read this article and you will learn about my suggestions for designing and decorating your classroom. I have split up my discussion into 4 key topics; classroom layout, classroom decorations, classroom bulletin boards and classroom displays. They have worked for me and I'm sure they will work for you.

1. Classroom Layout -- One of your main considerations when designing the layout of your classroom is the classroom seating arrangement. I always organized the students' desks in groups of 4 to 6. I found that this promoted a healthy interaction between students for doing group work. In life, one must learn to communicate and work together with others. When I wanted to give my students more focused attention, it was easy for me to work with them using this grouping arrangement.

After 6 -8 weeks it was time to switch groups around. By doing this, students would eventually sit with everyone in the class, get to know each other personally and perphaps form new friendships. In most cases, the students made their own groups, but I did have the final say.

2. Your goal in setting up your classroom decorations is to make your classroom an inviting and fun place for both students and visitors alike. I liked to decorate my classroom based on the season or any upcoming holiday or occasion. In October there's Halloween, December is for Christmas, February is Valentine's Day, etc.

I'm sure you know that your students will be very keen on helping you decorate the classroom. That's great, it is their classroom so be sure to use their suggestions. Creating a stimulating learning environment with their input is sure to motivate them and build up their self-esteem.

3. I'm sure you realize that most students get a huge boost to their moral and self-esteem when something they have produced is displayed for other students and visitors to see. So, motivate them, by letting them know that their best work will be displayed on your classroom bulletin boards.

You should always divide up your bulletin boards in the classroom to display different material in your curriculum - whether it's your information or the students' work on a specific topic. Want some suggestions - students' art, creative stories written by the students, science diagrams, pictures and information on a unit. One more thing, - students love to help put up their work, so definitely let them!

4. Classroom Displays -- Classroom bulletin boards are just one form of classroom display. You can use other parts of the room to display posters (preferably ones with a motivational message), hang displays (such as the different planets) from the ceiling, or string displays in one area of the classroom (if permitted). All it takes is some imagination and you'll find your students will want to participate in making their class one that everyone will want to visit.

I hope that you will find the tips that I have briefly described here very useful. Just use your imagination and I'm sure these suggestions will work for you as they have for me. You'll notice the difference!

Honey Krumholz has taught elementary school for 33 years. She is currently a college supervisor and mentor to student teachers. She presents seminars on teaching strategies at York University in Toronto. Visit her website and get her teaching strategies on a variety of topics, for example, her many tips on classroom seating arrangements http://www.priceless-teaching-strategies.com/classroom_seating_arrangements.html