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7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

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7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

You’ve arrived at this blog post because you want an answer to– 7 reasons to relax: classroom decor made easy! I think I can help. Although this post was written several years ago, much of it is still as important as it was then. So, read on…

In my opinion, there is one thing about this pandemic which is/was good. Celebrities have been de-mystified. Since everyone is quarantined at home, suddenly we are all alike.

We see people we admire on television or movies or the stage in a whole different light.  Gone is the lighting, makeup and hair stylist. When you’ve watched these folks day in and day out for years, you begin to think they are super humans with flawless skin, perfect hair and toned bodies.  You expect their homes to be decorated with the latest style and elegantly.

Seven Reasons You Need to Stop Stressing About How To Decorate My Classroom

That hasn’t always been the case now that the pandemic has kept most of us at home.  I watch Good Morning America every day and I love seeing the newscasters who are televising from home.  In particular, Ginger Zee and Robin Roberts appear to have rather normal homes.  Ginger usually televises outside or near a window.  Robin televises from her basement.  The first week, the wall behind her was plain white.  I think it’s painted blue now.

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

Robin trades out photos people have sent her after they appeared on GMA with her.  Lara Spencer televises from home with her darling dog, Reba who has calmed down considerably since the pandemic began.  Lara’s house is beautiful, but I think that’s to be expected since she has an interest in interior design  It’s stylish, colorful and but not over the top.  I appreciate that.

This is leading me somewhere, honest.

I appreciate finding famous people quotes.  Just like watching all these celebrities in their homes as they televise, the quotes give me some insight into the real person, not their public image. Many times you can gather some insight into their growth mindset.

I have a blog post about growth mindset here: Growth Mindset in the Study of Famous Theater Artists

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

The easiest way to decorate your classroom is with posters.  Here are seven reasons which you could use from famous stage actors.

  1.   These artists are in the spot light all the time, so it’s easy to find something new they can be quoted for saying.
  2.    Use their quotes in a class discussion.
  3.   Many are fabulous role models for our students (see Viola Davis and Lin Manuel Miranda, for example.)
  4.   They are timely–You can use them all year and they never have to be switched out for others.
  5.   If you find the quotes yourself, they are free to use.  Check brainyquote.com for ideas.
  6.   This is a unique idea. No one else in your school will have them so students won’t see them repeated in anyone else’s     room.
  7.    They can be used a variety of theater exercises or projects–Use a quote to devise a theater piece or in an improvisation.  Wouldn’t that be neat?

Viola Davis 

“Your ability to adapt to failure, and navigate your way out of it, absolutely 100 percent makes you who you are.”

Lin Manuel Miranda

“The fun for me in collaboration is, one, working with other people just makes you smarter; that’s proven.”

By the way, here’s a free poster for your use: Lin-Manuel Miranda Poster

Daveed Diggs

The act of being nice to somebody at Starbucks is actually a huge thing. It’s a real change you can effect in somebody’s life every day.”

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

Meryl Streep

“The gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.”

Benedict Cumberbatch

“If you have an over-preoccupation with perception and trying to please people’s expectations, then you can go mad.”

If you are looking for posters for your classroom, I’ve got several. (I could never find what I wanted for my classroom, so I made them myself.) Click HERE.

Seven Reasons You Need to Stop Stressing About How To Decorate My Classroom

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

Idina Menzel

“I wish I had read more and majored in literature rather than theatre. I think I would have been a better artist for it. I am trying to play catch-up now.”

Denzel Washington

“I’d be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I’d been given. I’d be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.”

I think it’s a great hobby collecting quotes of all kinds from famous people or books.   They lift your mood, help you to express your thoughts, inspire you, give you a different perspective, costs nothing and are tremendously interesting because you select the ones which speak to you.  You should try collecting quotes.  I have one friend who collects book passages that she loves and notates them in a journal.   She’s done this for many years.  I wonder how many journals she has filled?

In-depth Investigation of a Remarkable Person

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

I ran on to the website: technokids.com with an excellent reason to study people and use quotes as a stepping off point.

An in-depth investigation into a remarkable person can fit into almost all curriculum areas: language arts, history, social studies, science, art, or computer studies. Here are some ideas:

  • Write a Life Story: Practice expository writing. Write an engaging life story that offers insight into a person. Captivate reader’s attention.
  • Celebrate a Historical Figure: Develop a deeper understanding of a historical period. Research the contributions of a historical figure. Explain their importance to the past and influence on future events.
  • Acknowledge a Hero: Inspire others with the accomplishments of personal hero, role model, mentor, or newsmaker. Detail their successes and challenges. Outline reasons their efforts are admirable.
  • Investigate Scientific Contributions: Appreciate amazing research findings and inventions. Outline the path to discovery of a scientist. Explain how their work has improved the lives of others.
  • Appreciate the Arts: Learn about an art period or artistic style by studying a famous artist. Examine their artwork. Describe its meaning and how it influenced other artists.
  • Develop Word Processing Skills: Introduce advanced word processing skills in a computer studies course. Learn to customize styles, insert a table of contents, draw a graphic organizer, organize data using tables, adjust page layout, and add bookmarks.

If you are looking for more theater artist quotes, I have two products Growth Mindset Posters for this express purpose. 

 

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

Here is a new set!  Drama Class Posters

Each product includes:

This is a set of 24 growth mindset, the arts and character education posters which highlights the subject by quoting famous theater artists. In addition, the set includes suggested uses such as class discussion, improvisation or for an essay. These posters can be displayed all year long or along with a particular theme.

7 Reasons to Relax: Classroom Decor Made Easy!

These quotes speak about being your authentic self, how to handle failure, what makes the arts and theater special, being versatile, loving yourself and resiliency.

Although these were created for secondary classes, an elementary class could use these as well. The teacher is the expert as to which posters their students should study. Check out:  Growth Mindset Posters

I heartily suggest you or your students collect quotes which speak to them. One of my favorites by Ann Landers is, ” People of integrity expect to be believed. They also know time will prove them right and are willing to wait.” Boy, that’s me all over although I don’t like the waiting part….

I’ve just created pendants for the theater classroom!  You can find them here:  Posters and Pendants Theater Artists Quotes

What is a favorite quote of yours?  I’d love to hear it.  Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Seven Reasons You Need to Stop Stressing About How To Decorate My Classroom

Should Students Read Biographies?

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The Reasons You Should Read Biographies

Should students read biographies? I say they should, especially theatre artists if that’s their interest.  

Here are the reasons students should read biographies.

I’m excited to share with you the new series of products I am creating.

Places Please is a series of short biographies about professional theatre artists.  There will be biographies about actors, directors, set designers, playwrights, costume designers and more.

Here is some terrific news on Lin Manuel Miranda!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Lin-Manuel-Miranda-Family-Fund-Has-Committed-1M-To-Theater-Scholarships-For-Students-Of-Color-20200304

Places Please products include a short biography about the artist, plus a sheet with questions about the biography.  Links to particular works and sources are included as well and a link to a Pinterest board with additional photos of the artist.

Should Students Read Biographies?

Researching this idea, I stumbled upon an interesting article in Time Magazine by Jason Steinhauer, “America’s Students Need History–But Not for the Reasons You’re Hearing”

“The process of historical inquiry—and what it teaches students along the way—is history’s greatest reward. Studying history teaches that society is not stagnant. Studying history teaches us to question how and why things change, who drives those changes, whose interests are served by them and who gets left out of the equation. History teaches that human actions have consequences. Analysis of past events teaches students to ask probing questions, challenge preconceived assumptions and to recognize that humans have the capacity to be both very, very good and very, very cruel.

Analyzing historic documents teaches us to be careful readers. To be skeptical of one side of the story. To be aware of our own biases. Most critically, history teaches us who we are. I am a Jew, a New Yorker, a citizen of the United States, a grandchild of Holocaust survivors. These identities mean nothing without a historical backdrop to set them against. “We swim in the past as fish do in water,” wrote historian Eric Hobsbawm. “We cannot escape from it.”

Should Students Read Biographies?

Should Students Read Biographies?

Steinhauser continues, “Our students may not go on to all be historians, or even remember the hundreds of facts they learn in a given year. But through history they can become more disciplined and rigorous thinkers. They can be challenged to be more independent-minded analysts, and, I would argue, more compassionate human beings—skills that historical study inculcates and that lead directly to life and career success.”

What better way is there to demonstrate to our students that we all have struggles, failures and successes?

When I was a student, we never learned about anyone but historical figures. I knew a lot about George Washington (much of which was incorrect), Christopher Columbus (oh my gosh, don’t get me started) and Johnny Appleseed (really?).  Had I learned about people in my field of interest and their lives, I believe it would have helped me understand the initial challenges of the profession.

Check out: Video of Famous Theater Artists

Perhaps I might have gone further professionally? I don’t know.

That’s one of the reasons I became a teacher.  I thought there were some aspects of theater which had been ignored and I wanted to share my knowledge and expertise with students.

I found these really cool reasons to read more biographies by Kevin Eikenberry. There isn’t much reason to give you my thoughts when I agree wholeheartedly with his.

Should Students Read Biographies

Five Reasons to Read More Biographies“They allow you to stand on the shoulders of giants. In the 1670’s Sir Isaac Newton wrote in a letter to his friend Robert Hooke, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” That is exactly what reading biographies can do for you – allow you to see further because of what these people have achieved. Admittedly not every biography is about a “giant” but most are (and you can certainly pick from that list). However, even if the person you’re reading about is despicable and not worthy of praise or admiration, there likely are still many lessons to be gleaned from their life experiences and behaviors – even if most are “things you don’t want to do.”

They remind you that history repeats itself. George Santayana wrote in 1905, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It was true long before then, it was true then and it hasn’t changed today. Reading about the real experiences of others gives context for the decisions and consequences that we all will face. History (recent or distant) will repeat itself because those who are making history were, and are, human beings. One of the best ways to take advantage of the experience of others is by reading biographies of historical figures, not academic tomes about history.

They promote self discovery. A good self help or professional development book will outline specific steps, tools, techniques and approaches to try. These can be valuable and successful shortcuts to help you make improvements and get results in most any area of your life. A biography, on the other hand, won’t be as direct. You will discover ideas and approaches on your own through the stories and experiences of others. This discovery learning process is often far more satisfying, and most always more lasting, than reading a list of steps.

Lin Manuel MIranda cover square

Expand Your Students’ World View

They allow you to see the world in new ways. Rather than being completely focused on your professional discipline, looking at the way you and your colleagues always look at things, reading about someone from a different era, a different background or a totally different set of life experiences will give you new perspective. In truth, most great innovations come from taking an idea from one situation, discipline or industry and adapting it to another. Reading biographies is one great way to do this.

They give you mentors at a distance.If you have read about the life of Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Winston Churchhill or anyone else you select, you have had a glimpse into their mind and now have the advantage or “knowing” them. These people can become your mentors at a distance, if you allow yourself the chance to think about what advice they might give you, or what they might do in a the situation or choice you are facing.”

So if you are a teacher looking for something different for your students, give these a look. They are a bargain, too!

I plan to release one each month until I have exhausted the subject. Because there are hundreds of theater artists, I think this series won’t end any time soon, because our students will enjoy learning whoever is up and coming as well as a veteran.

Granted, not every theater artist may appear important at first glance.  However, once a student reads about the artist’s struggles to become the person we know, everything becomes very transparent.

 

There are bundles of all of the artists available, too:

Theater Artists: Places Please

Distance Learning Famous Artists Bundle

Here’s a collection of 24 posters with quotes from famous theater artists.  I hope you like them.  Growth Mindset in Theater Artists This one below is FREE!

As you can tell, I really enjoy creating these biographies! I’d love to hear how these biographies go for you and your students.  Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

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