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A new study tries to determine whether there might be a correlation between how a room is decorated and kindergartners’ learning. The researchers wanted to know if too many decorations could actually be distracting or overstimulating for young minds. But similar questions could be asked about how classroom environment might influence older students’ academic performance as well.

Does the way your classroom is decorated affect your learning?

In the article “Rethinking the Colorful Kindergarten Classroom,” Jan Hoffman writes:

Imagine a kindergarten classroom. Picture the vividly colored scalloped borders on the walls, the dancing letters, maybe some charming cartoon barnyard animals holding up “Welcome to School!” signs. That bright, cheery look has become a familiar sight in classrooms across the country, one that has only grown over the last few decades, fed by the proliferation of educational supply stores. But to what effect? A new study looked at whether such classrooms encourage, or actually distract from, learning. The study, one of the first to examine how the look of these walls affects young students, found that when kindergartners were taught in a highly decorated classroom, they were more distracted, their gazes more likely to wander off task, and their test scores lower than when they were taught in a room that was comparatively spartan. The researchers, from Carnegie Mellon University, did not conclude that kindergartners, who spend most of the day in one room, should be taught in an austere environment. But they urged educators to establish standards. “So many things affect academic outcomes that are not under our control,” said Anna V. Fisher, an associate professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon and the lead author of the study, which was published in Psychological Science. “But the classroom’s visual environment is under the direct control of the teachers. They’re trying their best in the absence of empirically validated guidelines.” In the early years of school, children must learn to direct their attention and concentrate on a task. As they grow older, their focus improves. Sixth graders, for example, can tune out extraneous stimuli far more readily than preschoolers, the study’s authors noted. But could information-dense kindergarten classroom walls, intended to inspire children, instead be overwhelming? Could all that elaborate décor impede learning? Some experts think so.

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us …

— Does the way your classroom is decorated affect your learning? In what ways?

— Do you appreciate when teachers display your work — or your classmates’ work — on classroom walls?

— Do you pay attention to word walls or posters that are intended to remind you about material you are studying in class?

— Are your classrooms ever too decorated or distracting? Are your classrooms ever too unadorned or austere? Does it make a difference to your level of engagement or desire to learn?

— If you were a teacher trying to create a positive learning environment for students, how would you decorate your classroom?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.