Purpose:

The purpose of the policy is to mentor the academic team for creating bulletin boards which make the classroom visually appealing and intellectually stimulating to your students. A bulletin / display board may be used for a variety of purposes: displaying student work, serving as an activity board for students, posting rules, posting announcements, or decorating the classroom. Display boards are thereby an important part of the school learning environment.

Scope:

The policy is for reference and consultation by all SEL owned and consultancy schools. Schools may frame their own policy in concurrence with the given guidelines. The policy framed by the school must be shared and approved by the SEL team.

Guidelines

Class teachers must change their class bulletin boards once a month. Bulletin board displays lose their effectiveness if left standing for the entire school year. They should change regularly and reflect the learning that has and is taking place in the classroom.

In the middle & senior grades display boards shall be changed fortnightly, keeping them compatible with the concepts done under various subjects. In the elementary & primary grades boards to be changed more frequently to keep them in tune with the concept / theme that is being done in the class.

Provide lots of opportunities for students to design and assemble bulletin boards. Encourage students to post their work and celebrate their accomplishments.

When making a bulletin board, teacher should ask herself if the students will be interested in it and strive to create a bulletin board that sparks student interest.

Teachers to use bulletin boards to reinforce instructional goals.

The content on the display boards should be relevant and age appropriate.

Teachers along with students should organize the display taking maximum advantage of the space in the classroom. However, it should not cause a visual cacophony. They should be bright, eye-catching and inclusive of students' work and ideas. From the artistic point of view, think of colors that harmonize and balance one another.

Use illustrations that are current, relevant, and interesting to the students.

Try not to rely too heavily on commercially prepared materials available for teachers. Encourage students to prepare as many boards since it generates a sense of belongingness to the classroom.

The font of the material displayed should be such that it’s visible from every area of the classroom.

Encourage students to use recycled material as much as possible.

After all the work of putting together a bulletin board, make sure all students can see the bulletin board. Sometimes bulletin boards can become covered up by other furniture, etc. in the classroom.

Teachers must respect the effort put in by each child. Any spelling or grammatical error in the work put up by a child for display board is not corrected by while it’s up. The child is simply asked to re-write the word / sentence again without cutting out the previous one.

No child should feel discouraged to put his/her work for display because his/ her handwriting is not of the expected standard.

Middle and senior grades must have a vocabulary wall with words that are subject based.

Make sure that the boards in your classroom aren’t all just for decoration. Make a conscious effort to point out the learning that is all around the students.

All classes with SEN students must have display boards that caters to their learning needs specifically. These shall be changed as per the need of the student(s).

Any work put up by the students must carry his/her name on the right side bottom. Any work put up in corridors by the class collectively must have the class and section mentioned.

On each floor, one board preferably the one close to the floor supervisor’s / Academic coordinator’s office or staff room shall be allocated to posting time table information of all classes on that floor, duty lists during important events, schedule of practice time, substitution list for reference by students and teachers.

Bulletin boards in the corridors may be assigned to different classes on the floor. Class teacher shall select two monitors every month to change the display. All information put up on the corridor boards must be approved by the class teacher or the concerned subject teacher.

In the middle and senior classes, students shall take charge of the boards- both content and themes. Teacher’s role is to ensure that it’s in sync with the school philosophy and the frequency of the change of board.

Students to be strictly forbidden to deface, destroy or dismantle any bulletin boards.

Bulletin boards in the reception area shall be allocated for the following purposes:

One whole school board

for sharing of any information on school’s achievements, accolades won by students and teachers or any other updates and new initiatives

One parent information board

wherein all notices related to admission, opening and closing for holidays, school newsletter, school events, trips, summer camps organized for students are displayed

One bulletin board of each house

wherein the value that house upholds is depicted. This shall also be changed by the house once every two months. House mistresses along with House captain and Vice-Captain shall be responsible for timely change of display. These boards shall be planned in consultation with the art department. Students shall share their idea with the concerned art teacher.

One bulletin board for the school editorial board

wherein the members post relevant information and the write ups of the students and the editorial board newsletter

one display board in the reception area

shall be put up on any upcoming school event depicting the spirit of the event. This shall enthuse teachers, students and parents about the event. The board must be put up two weeks prior to the event.

Bulletin Boards in the Elementary / Primary Grades

Bulletin Boards in the Elementary / Primary Grades

Teachers must use a variety of bright colors, large letters, and lots of illustrations. Don't overload the visuals, however. Be sure there's sufficient “white space” on the bulletin board, too.

Class teacher & co-class teacher needs to ensure that all domain areas are covered in the display boards.

Elementary & primary grades must have a word wall in class. It should have a black background with the letters in white or words should be written clearly in black marker on white index cards.

In the elementary and primary grades, teachers shall put clothespins on the wire and hang student work, decorations, or other items.

Windows may also be painted in the primary grades depicting words and story boards. However, care shall be taken to see that there is enough natural light in the classroom.

Bulletin Boards to Communicate Essential Information

Post a copy of the class time table on the class bulletin board.

Essential list having emergency contact numbers and transport details of each student should be put up for easy reference by the teachers.

List monitor jobs and the students who are currently filling these roles.

Display posters of the classroom rules, rewards, and consequences.

Create a visual representation of your classroom management system. The students will be more conscious of their behavior when they have something visual on which to focus.

Post a list of the things students may do when they finish an assignment early.

Post a list of school goals. These may reflect classroom, team, and/or school priorities.

Bulletin Board Ideas

Teachers shall create interactive bulletin boards. Provide flaps to lift, pockets to fill, Velcro pull-offs, puzzles to complete, or dials to spin. These bulletin boards directly involve students in a host of learning opportunities.

Create a simple bulletin board that you can change each week. Post a series of different puzzles, mini-mysteries, word searches, or brainteasers each week for students to engage during their free moments.

Another bulletin board can be a math board. Depending on the grade level it should contain age appropriate math concepts. For example, the primary grades should have a calendar, a clock, a way of counting money, and pictures and names of shapes. Each day, the teacher can lead the children in 10 to 15 minutes of math review using the materials on the math board.

Elementary grades should have bulletin boards on days of the week, months of the year, helper of the day, lunch count and attendance.

For more ideas on Bulletin boards see Annexure 1.

Policy on School Display boards