I want to redecorate my classroom in a cool way--help! What would make it warm and inviting to my K-

I recently had some beautiful artwork framed by an artist that visited our classroom--(Pat Banks)--sunflowers,old woman w/little girl, trees/mtns/clouds, and I want to use that to build on! Right now anything would be an improvement: it's institutional green and with the prerequisite cutesy posters on the wall--help!!! Any ideas appreciated. PS The space is small, I have one window, one big dry erase board and one small bulletin board. It's a Day Treatment Center in a crisis stabilization unit. Lots of the kids have some major problemos. PSS I want the room to say--we are going to have a fantastic time and we might actually learn something!! (I like to do lots of art and drama activities!)

I want to redecorate my classroom in a cool way--help! What would make it warm and inviting to my K-12 kids?

K-12? You teach everybody from age 5 through age 18? Yikes!

You will want to focus on generic decorations. Maybe dedicate a fraction of your wallspace to each age level (keeping fire codes in mind... never cover more than 50% of your wall, if you have sprinklers, no sprinklers is 20%, or they'll make you take it all down).

Cut that 50% available area into 6 segments. in one, put the alphabet, calendar, etc. for your K and early elementary kids. Then dedicate a segment to elementary science, one to elementary social studies, one to intermediate/middle-school grammar/writing process, etc., focusing on quality, not quantity. If there's lots you want to have up, plan a rotation system for the posters, etc. to each be up a part of the year.

Use your art prints to accent the information, and shop for posters and bulletin board materials that complement the colors in the Banks prints.

Here are some wonderful teacher materials sites:

http://www.learningisfun.com/classroom_d...

http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/

Hope that helps!

I want to redecorate my classroom in a cool way--help! What would make it warm and inviting to my K-12 kids?

how about growing some neat flowering plants near the window?flowers are always inviting.

I want to redecorate my classroom in a cool way--help! What would make it warm and inviting to my K-12 kids?

Try varying pieces with a theme which contrast multiple styles (impressionist, neo-classical, realism, etc...). In this case I would work around pieces which depict people interacting with nature.

Also, one of the things which may relax your kids, and get them to interact is by getting them involved with the ownership of the space. I remember back in high school during my down time in French class I would get bored, and since we were in the art room I would take oil pastels and do renditions of famous arworks on the chalkboard (very interesting medium oil pastels on slate). You could do the same, and reward your kids by getting them to cooperate on your board with an art project of their own. I would suggest leaving the piece up there for at least a week so your children can take pride in their accomplishment.

- Good Luck!

I want to redecorate my classroom in a cool way--help! What would make it warm and inviting to my K-12 kids?

Pictures of past Presidents that had no wrongdoing with the press. i.e. Skip Clinton.

Put up alphabet was in my first few years in school classroom.