Bulletin Board Basics

Bulletin boards can serve many purposes and can bring that extra something to the classroom atmosphere. Here are some basic tips for creating effective bulletin boards.

Most teachers have some permanent bulletin boards in their rooms. By "permanent", I mean that the board does not change through the year and is often left up from year to year with minor changes. These types of bulletin boards would include birthday bulletin boards, a board for the student of the week, or bulletin boards which contain information to which children may want to refer during the entire school year such as color names, the alphabet, vowel sounds, a number chart, a calendar, etc.

Some bulletin boards feature a current unit of study. A bulletin board may also be used to display student art work. Still other bulletin board designs can be interactive (manipulated by students) and serve as reinforcement for curriculum taught.

There are many ways to "back" your bulletin board. White or colored butcher paper can be used as a background. I prefer to use fairly neutral colors such as light blue, white or yellow that can be left up for the entire school year. Orange paper will coordinate with the autumn colors of September, October, and November, red serves as a good backdrop for December, January and February, and light green works well for the spring months. If your bulletin board is situated opposite a window, you will want to use a light color to cut down on the fading that occurs from sunlight.

Fabric can also be used on a bulletin board. Check the clearance section in your fabric store as you will need a large amount of fabric. If you desire a fabric in a print, be sure it's a small-scale print so that the background doesn't detract from the content of your board.

Your board can also be backed with construction paper. Use one color to make your background inconspicuous, alternate two colors for a checkerboard effect or use multiple colors for the look of a quilt.

My favorite bulletin board background is paint. Paint the cork portion of the board with brushes or rollers using latex wall paint. Check with your administration before painting to be sure it's allowed at your school or church. I teach in a 50 year old school and many of the teachers have painted their boards (most of which may have been replaced at some time during the 50 year life of the building) for a fresh, clean look.

There are many ready-made bulletin board sets available commercially. Some of these sell for around $10, making them very affordable. For a "free" bulletin board, you can fashion your display using the colorful pictures from a used calendar. Simply cut the calendar apart and you have 12 photos or illustrations to use on your board. When buying a new calendar, look for a theme that will serve as the basis for a future bulletin board. For instance, I purchased a NASA calendar on a recent visit to the Kennedy Space Center which can be converted to a space bulletin board when the year has passed.

I have precut letters which make it very quick and simple to place titles on my bulletins boards. I have a set of black letters, a set of red and a set of orange letters. These colors lend themselves to almost any color scheme or theme I pick for my board. It's also easy to create titles using your computer and printer.

Add dimensional items to bring extra interest to your bulletin board. For example, a silk or plastic ivy garland could serve as border for a springtime bulletin board, real colorful leaves could be added to a fall-themed board, or ornaments could be used on a holiday board. The challenge of using dimensional objects lies in the fact that the weight of these larger items makes it more difficult to anchor them on the board. Straight pins can support lighter weight objects. Staples work for heavier but thin items.

Imaginative bulletin boards can bring inspiration, reinforce learning or just provide a little color and life to your classroom.