Show & Tell
By: Anna Gately, Pre-Kindergarten Director Designee
How displaying the whole child boosts students’ sense of belonging and significance in the room.
Send a Message With Displays
Our surroundings matter. When the spaces we inhabit, the spaces we learn in, are intentionally designed and reflect our values, productivity and confidence increase. When thinking about positive learning environments, we need to be deliberate about fostering a space where students feel safe, supported, and celebrated to be themselves. In doing so, we create more opportunities to explore, learn, and grow. In our classrooms, we purposefully display artwork at students' eye level. After all, the intention in displaying is for them. With their work on the same level as the child, they are able to actively take pride in their work as they learn. Their competence and our confidence in them literally surround them on the walls. Being able to look around at past projects and artwork, encourages children to keep learning and growing through further exploration.
Displays Don’t Just Mean Artwork
Creating a positive learning environment is a choice that is made daily. It is made when choosing what book to read, it is made when creating lesson plans around student interests, it is made when sending home newsletters, it is made when hanging artwork, it is made when including childrens’ families. As educators, we know how important it is to feel seen. At Children’s Creative Center, we understand this may be your child’s first time in a school setting or outside of the house. Keeping this in mind, we bridge the gap between school and home by having “family walls.” These walls include pictures of each child with their family and serve as a physical reminder that there is always space for including and celebrating each individual’s family. Each room also has its own display of its “class family.” These photos help your child explicitly see that they belong and are a part of our classroom community.
How Can You Do This at Home?
Where one lives looks different to everyone. It may be a house, an apartment, a condo, a hotel, or something else entirely. We all have a place we call home. A home reflects those who inhabit it. That reflection may be photographs of the family on the wall, diplomas hanging in frames, or knick-knacks that represent interests. Something easy to implement at home is actively reflecting your child throughout your home. This could be as simple as displaying artwork on the refrigerator. You can also go one step further and consider framing their work.
Children are natural artists and have a well of creative expression. From finger painting to scribbles, children’s art is a window into their imagination. Framing children’s art is more than a decorative choice; it is a way to boost self-esteem while creating a tangible connection to their childhood that will last a lifetime. In intentionally reflecting children in the place they inhabit, we are validating their creativity, showcasing progress, and capturing lasting memories.
Our pillars at Children’s Creative Center are curiosity, commitment, and community. By displaying children’s work, we are sending a message that we value their curiosity and growth. We show them our confidence in them and foster a sense of self-esteem. It tells them we see them and their progress, and we want to celebrate it! We are committed to holding onto this curiosity by actively making the choice to create positive environments. We are committed to connecting our rooms to the community. While we also commit to showing our community, or our families, how to capture that curiosity in the child’s home environment.
