Looking Around

I read a blog last week that talked about room decorations. The blogger said that they no longer had commercial cutesy boards in their room anymore, but lots of blank space for student work  and charts. I looked around my own classroom and realized that I had taken down the last space filler in my room to make more room for anchor charts and work. Yes, I still have commercial border and cutouts for a background for student work and I do have a bulletin board tree on my door, but I have finally finished the transition from "but I like that!" to "my students and I need this!" I do have blank space (and it is daunting when I just walk through the door) but it will be filled with student and class made charts soon. I am determined to make the move to letting my students write on my anchor charts this year. This is a big deal for me - I like my charts neat and symmetrical and spelled correctly. I'm not saying it's going to happen week one, maybe not even month one, but I am determined to get my students writing their charts. Hopefully this will encourage them to use them more. Big writing is the key - after all, that is what started me on the road to blank walls. I love commercial products too, but most of them couldn't be read from a desk or across the room. They had to go. I have tried the past few years to ensure that if it was on my walls it was useful and not just cute. I don't put things up that I haven't taught my students. It makes their lives easier, therefore mine is too. So I encourage everyone to look around...do you see cute and "I'll teach that in the spring, so it stays," or do you see room for student work and anchor charts? Which do you place more value on? Do you have to squint to read that commercial made chart?