Do Your Walls Welcome All Students?

Whenever I go into an unfamiliar school, I look closely to see what the walls tell me. I’m not just looking at signage—although that is important—but everything on the walls.

A school’s “cultural ecology” is mirrored on its walls. Of course, some physical features of a school come with the territory, but the important question is, “what have they done with the place?” It starts with the halls. A building that is several decades old may feature clinical tile walls, harsh fluorescents and windowless hallways. Some buildings in that age range  look like prisons, with bare, gleaming walls. Others of similar vintage shimmer with colorful student art, invite the viewer to explore ideas through posted classroom projects, or offer information for upcoming games, plays, elections, charity drives or concerts.

It’s the same with classrooms. You can tell when several teachers use a single classroom in a day. They tend not to leave any artifacts. The walls of such rooms remain bare and bland. No one “owns” them.

When a single teacher occupies a classroom for most or all of the school day, an observer usually can “read” the teacher’s personality on the walls, and infer things about his/her relationship with students.

Walls can also speak of inclusion or exclusion. If students come from homes where English is not the first language, do these walls welcome them and their parents? Are the languages of the posters reflective of the classroom? Is one popular subset of students featured via pictures, class work and posters? There is room for a wider range of recognition that celebrates students for their many different kinds of strengths.

Research tells us that the visual environment of a school or a classroom has a very real effect on students’ attitudes. I encourage you to give your own classroom and school an examination. Does it look like a pleasant, interesting place where everyone is welcome? If not, how can you use your skills and strengths to help improve the message of the walls?

Gephardt teacher private art classes in Kansas.