What’s the Point?

What’s the point of a bulletin board anyway? It’s just pictures and words hung on paper on a board on the wall. Like really, why do we do it? Do the students even notice? Does it matter whether we put up an essay or a comic photo? One of my friends once argued that he doesn’t think he noticed a single thing his teachers hung up. He doesn’t see the point in a bulletin board. 

Are we missing the point too? We’re the teachers. We spend 30 hours and more a week with our students. And we’re teaching more than just the lessons on today’s plan. We are our students role models, heroes, and examples in how life is lived. What if our classroom is sending them messages about life? Because it is. 

I don’t think every bulletin board needs to be teaching a life lesson. But what you see every day sticks in your brain. So why don’t we think about what our walls our saying? What if our wall decor could make our students happier and more positive? What if it would point them to Jesus? Then it wouldn’t be pointless. 

Maybe you’re feeling like you put all the work in but your students are like my friend. It doesn’t matter to them. You can change that. Bring it into lunch and before school chats. “Hey did you notice that fact about bugs on the bulletin? Pretty incredible isn’t it?” Catch someone looking at it. “Do you know what that means?” Get everyone involved. If students start noticing that there’s interesting things around, they’ll pay more attention. 

But best of all, why not make your bulletin board double purpose? You’re teaching at a Christian school, use the Bible as the basis for your bulletin board. I know Bible verses on bulletins can sometimes feel a little overused and we want to make them catchy and fun. Make the graphics beautiful and fun and it’ll make the Bible verse come alive. Then you can base a devotional or maybe two off of it. Now you’ve got all the students noticing the bulletin board and seeing it every day sinks the lesson in deeper. And bonus for you, one idea took care of two problems. 

So now you’re saying, “That’s all fine and good. How do I come up with the idea?” Good news! Colour Your Class has a few bulletins based on Bible references. Starting next week with “Walk in Integrity”, we’ll release devotionals on the following sets and new sets to come!