A bulletin board can showcase student achievement and raise student confidence and self-esteem. To do this, create a bulletin board with space for an individual student to be showcased for an entire week. Allow the student of the week to answer questions about herself, chose pictures of herself and showcase work she is proud of on the board.
Student Interest Questionnaire
Have each student fill out a questionnaire that tells all about him. Questions can include:
- My full name:
- My birth date:
- My family includes:
- My favorite food:
- My pet's name:
- My favorite vacation spot:
- My favorite book:
- What is the furthest you have traveled from home?
- Name someone you admire:
- Describe your favorite place to be:
This questionnaire should be displayed on the bulletin board on each student's showcase week along with pictures and student work.
Student Pictures
Have each student bring in pictures of himself and his family on that child's week. These can include pictures of the child as a baby, pictures of the child doing things he likes to do, pictures of his pet, and anything else the child chooses to bring in. Allow the student the freedom to choose what pictures are placed on the board, as long as the pictures are appropriate. Use thumbtacks carefully on the edge of the pictures in order to not ruin them with holes punched through unless you are specifically told by the parent that it is OK.
Student Work
Both the teacher and student can have the option to choose some great pieces of student work to display as well. This work can include student art work, essays, poetry, short stories and anything else that the student is proud of, including a good grade on a homework assignment or test. The key to this is to pick pieces that make the student feel good about himself, which will in turn raise the student's confidence in himself and raise his self-esteem.
What Order to Showcase Students
When deciding the order to showcase your students, think carefully and plan ahead. The point is to introduce each student to the class and raise self-esteem and student confidence. Those students who are at the top of the class can go first, because there will be a large amount of student work to choose from early on. Special education students or those who are struggling should be chosen later in the list so that there will be more opportunity for them to produce papers and other work they can be proud of.
To introduce this bulletin board to your students, consider showcasing yourself as the teacher first. Put pictures of yourself growing up, your college degree, teaching certification and other publications or work that you are proud of.
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Jennifer Wagaman - Jennifer is a mother of 2 and has both public, private and administrative experience in the education field.
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