Teachers of students from kindergarten, to college professors with their own classrooms, have long recognized the power of educational posters. These visualizations are used as reminders of classroom behavior, as visual representations of the subject matter in the classroom, and as tools for creating an inviting classroom atmosphere. In fact, posters have been used to effect change for more than 2,000 years.
School administrators can also use posters within their schools to achieve their goals. Crucial to the success of the signs, however, is using them effectively. Here are four ways to use an educational poster to create change throughout your school.
1. Choose Posters That Inspire Curiosity about the Subject Matter
Whether you are addressing school profanity or trying to improve adherence to the school dress code, choose posters that will make your student body stop and react. They should incite enough curiosity to get students interested, and be powerful enough to encourage positive behavior.
2. Carefully Judge the Appearance and Applicability of the Posters
You can judge posters by their:
Size
Type of imagery
Quality of text
Ability to relate to students
Be selective as you choose which posters to purchase and where to hang them throughout your school. The effectiveness of carefully chosen signs becomes more apparent with the realization that about 65% of students learn best through visual methods.
3. Keep Your Posters Fresh and Relevant
Perhaps you have chosen signs as a tool to bringing about change, like reducing the occurrence of bullying in the school. In order to maintain ongoing conversations and to continually engage your students in these conversations, rotate through a selection of pertinent posters. Each change will attract new attention and lead to renewed efforts on the part of students and staff members.
4. Hang Posters in Areas Where Students are Likely to Look When Their Minds Wander
Whether this occurs during the lunch break, classroom time, or as students walk through the halls, there are plenty of moments throughout the day when the student’s focus is open. The attention of a daydreaming student might settle on a sign in the classroom. The solitary student passing through quiet halls may stop to read posters.
The effective use of posters can be an important instrument in your attempt to create change in your school atmosphere. Perhaps your next step should be to identify those top areas in your school environment which need to be addressed first, and then posting signs that will adequately address them.