Displays

[Guest]

Hi everyone!

I am an NQT in Nursery and I thought that I had done my displays lovely but the head sent in a key stage co-ordinator who is key stage 2 trained to come and take down all my displays and put new ones up - without me having a say. The displays that she is putting up in MY room are not (in my opinion) child friendly and certainly not friendly for a three year old!

 

I was hoping that some lovely people on here could help me - could I see some pictures of your beautiful displays so that I could try and put some ideas accross so that I feel like it is my classroom still (obviously what I was doing before wasn't right).

 

Please help - I am sooo close to tears!

 

xx

[Guest]

What sorts of things did you have up in your room?

 

I would flip if someone came in my room and took it down and put something up, it is really out of order and not a good form of leadership. They should be supportive and offer advice!!!

 

I am in reception and I have used some bits and bobs from twinkl to help the children/adults etc. I have chns work displayed, lift the flaps (so the alphabet then pictures using initial sounds under the flap), bags with numbers hung in a line for chn to fill and use accordingly. We have pictures to aid number songs!! Pictures of the chn playing and learning with explanations etc to explain to visitors/parents!!

 

I am trying to think what could have been so wrong!!

 

x

[Guest]

Oh my god! I would be livid! It's YOUR classroom, how dare they do that! I'm the art coordinator at our school and part of my responsibility is to oversee all the displays around school and I would never dream of making someone take their display down. Obviously some displays are more effective than others but I have never seen one that wasn't worthy of being up on the wall! You know what's best for your class! Grrrr!! This has really annoyed me!!

 

Have they explained what they didn't like about your displays? If not, make sure you insist that they do. That way if you disagree with what they say you've got the chance to argue your point. If they don't tell you what was wrong how are you supposed to make sure they are happy with your future displays? Also get hold of a copy of the display policy beforehand so you can link to points in that (unless it's one of those horrible prescriptive ones... 'everything must be double backed in two shades of blue; all items must be positioned straight...' etc) and if it is one of those you might be stuck with the boring unfriendly ones your coordinator has done

 

I know it's not always easy to stand up to the head, especially as an NQT in your first term but PLEASE do your best! Keep calm and word it in a way that makes it sound like you are complying (Hi, do you mind if I have a quick word? I was just wondering if you could give me some constructive feedback on my displays so that I know what type of thing you want) then once you've got your feedback you can calmly state the reasons why you disagree, quote the display policy and explain why it is important to have stimulating, child friendly displays. If necessary, ask what your head sees as the function for displays. There is no point having them if they are not attractive to the children whether it is a display of the children's work or an educational display.

 

Good luck and please keep us updated and if you feel the need to just have a rant, we're here to listen xxx

[Susan]

I would be very upset too.

 

What does your mentor say?

 

Have a look in the gallery, its a much under used resource here but there are some pics that might help you argue your point.

 

Good luck.

[Guest]

Loads of sensible advice there, I also want to say *big hugs* - I'd be fuming if someone did that to my room - at least have the courtesy to ask me to change them because of x, y or z! Don't feel that as an NQT you are not allowed a voice in your own classroom. If they thought you were good enough to give you the job then you're good enough to know what to display in your room.

[Guest ShelleyT]

I am shocked and appalled! I am deputy head of my school but that doesn't give me the right to interfere with other people's displays. You do not deserve to be treated like that. Stand up for yourself, please!!!!!! x x x x x x

[Cait]

Crikey! I'm a Preschool Manager and have done and seen many many displays over the years - some work better than others of course, but that's the 'nature of the beast'. I would never take down a bad display that my staff have put up - and to be honest I've wished I could a few times! (I've re-jigged my own sometimes) I can remember asking a student to change her title in a display a few years back, as her header contained a spelling mistake - if I'd just done it myself she may never have noticed, and then wouldn't have learned to be a little more careful - but that's a good deal different from what you describe here!

 

The thing is, for the children, as long as their work is up they don't mind how or where, just that they feel their work is valued.

 

Sometimes a display starts well, beautifully and artfully arranged and then suddenly the children want to add things - they've painted a picture which they think is relevant and they want it 'there' - I do think it's important that they have some say - within reason.

 

I aim for 90% of a display at least to be the children's things.

 

There are books on doing displays - you could flick through a couple in a bookshop - Waterstones had one a while ago, I can remember flicking through one myself!

 

I think you should try and tackle it straight on and find out why it was changed. I really think that it should have been discussed with you first to give you the opportunity of changing it yourself.

[Guest]

Thank you so much everybody for your support!

My mentor is the deputy head and she agrees with them. One of the other teachers told my mentor that they were out of order treating me in this way. The co-ordinator who changed my displays said "Don't touch my displays"!!!

I wouldn't mind as much if I thought what she had put up was amazing but I completely disagree with what she has done to them and I now feel that I no longer have a choice about them. We also have Ofsted due any time now - and we have been told everyone expecting Ofsted will be done before xmas. How am I meant to justify my displays if I don't agree with them myself!!

 

(Sorry everybody about this rant!)

 

I know that I should say something but I am so upset that I am holding back the tears with a lump in my throat - I feel like if I speak to them then i won't be able to stop myself crying!

 

x

[Guest]

Oh my word! Big big hugs to you ! This is not good practice, and absolutely diabolical leadership skills . Personally I would find it very difficult to get past this, but you haven't really got an option to to tell them to shove their displays where the sun doesn't shine! If it were me ? I would try and hold back on my emotions , bite the bullet and show them outstanding displays in the future.

Could you ask your mentor for advice? Could you the co-ordinator point out the good things in her display and highlight areas where EYFS practice might be lacking and come to a shared view? Some schools have a display policy, does yours, did you follow it?

 

Have you got any ideas why the HT didn't like your displays, do you feel strong enough to ask ?

 

Really good luck with this, but don't let it colour the rest of your term , try and see it as a learning experience. Be confident that they have not handled the situation well, but you will handle it better.

Can you give us any ideas what were in your original displays, and what's 'so good' about the new ones, and then perhaps we can give you some pointers.

 

 

xxxx

[Guest ChunkyMan]

Hi Sarah89,

 

I can't believe how offensive their behaviour has been...I would be so tempted to change the displays and see what they do!!! I do appreciate your position but wonder what there justification is for such appalling behaviour?? How is this supposed to be supportive...how or indeed what are you supposed to have learnt from this?

 

You do need to ask them what their reasons are for this extreme behaviour!!!

 

Take care xx

[SueFinanceManager]

Well I think that's horrid....if they had an issue then they should have sat down and spoken to you and given you a chance to explain your display and maybe discuss changes that YOU could make to bring it in line with their expectations but to just change it sucks!!!!

 

As for ideas, have a look in the gallery here to see the things other people have done....will give you some ideas and if nothing else will make you smile as some of them are beautiful.

 

Chin up and maybe next week when you have had a weekend to calm down go and talk to the head and explain how demotivating these actions were.

 

Big hugs

Sue

[redjayne]

Thats an awful thing for somebody to do - does sound as if they are all just a little too het up about the imminent inspection to be thinking clearly ! As others have said just ask for constructive feedback so you can 'improve' your displays, look at what the dispaly policy states, and maybe discuss future displays with your mentor prior to putting them up.

As for the ones you are stuck with now - any chance a large pot of paint may just get 'splashed' all over them by some overzealous children, or maybe one or two children might just need to practice thier cutting skills in that area

 

Chin up - don't let it upset you more than it already has, it's really not worth it.

[Guest]

Thank you for all the replies - you have made me feel a lot better!

 

I went into work and got upset so I had to speak to my mentor - the deputy head. I explained that I don't feel as though it is my classroom any more and that I don't think that the displays that she has put up are EYFS friendly. I also said how am I supposed to jusity to Ofsted the things that I have on displays and areas in the classroom (she also moved my furniture around) if I don't agree with them myself. Her answer was - "You just have to accept that some things get done with you and some things get done to you and this is one of the things that will get done to you" She also told me that I have to leave the mark making area and display as they are even though I think it looks cramped! She said "Do you feel better now?" I told her that I didn't feel any better.

After school I got her again and showed her what I would like on the mark making display instead and she said that was ok to change.

 

My displays before were: birthday board, 'Shapes are everywhere' - with collages the children had done, pictures of our local walk looking for shapes, pictures of the children making shape arrangements, 'Marvellous me!' - with paper plate faces that the children had decorated, 'Art gallery' - with self portraits on that the children had done, 'The reasons I love teaching' - with the pictures the children had done for me at home and at nursery and speech bubbles with all of the lovely things that they say to me (Eg, you're my best friend, i love you, you can come to my birthday party...)

 

We don't have a policy on displays but we aren't allowed to use backing paper or borders and we have to double mount work onto black then white and they must both be 1cm each. I had followed all of this.

 

x

[Susan]

Keep an eye on the vacancy lists.

 

Make sure you are in a union.

[Guest]

Hi Sarah

I hope you feel better after speaking to your mentor. So that we can compare and contrast for you, what are the displays now?

 

Try and have a nice relaxing weekend x

[Guest]

I think your displays sound good and they are the sorts of things that I would and do have. But I think you are in between a rock and a hard place and I doubt you will get much movement. Get through this year and keep an eye on jobs that are coming up, this tough first year will make you strong, trust me my first year was not fun either and you are not alone.

 

Hmmmm if they are that particular about displays then that is a policy even though they have not written it down.

 

Also please make sure you are in a union and also try to see if other members of staff have had a similar treatment, but be careful who you speak to as you do not want to make more trouble for yourself.

 

Good luck and try to enjoy your weekend

 

x

[Guest tinkerbell]

I am speechless .

Well done for standing up for yourself withthe deputy .It is so hard for you as you are an NQT and you must feel you have to be careful.

Take photos of your displays and keep for future reference and as a porfolio for your next job.

The school seems a bit over the top if someone has the time to go round changing displays in other peoples classrooms (did she do other peoples?) and measure 1cm on all the mounts!

Perhaps as an NQT you could ask at a staff meeting what the schools intentions are with display? eg what percentage of display is informative (for children/parents)child initiated,interactive etc etc although there is no policy there appears to be a list of not what to do !! where is that written down? surely that is part of a policy and do all the staff agree?

 

We have a policy (some where) and as art/display co-ordinator I do keep an eye around the school and do the boards that are in corridors or weird places.I ask if teachers have displays we can put up in these areas or I go with seasonal/charity/pshce themes.As a staff we decide on a theme for our hall each half term and a date for the boards to be changed.Everyone is on board and it works well.The classrooms are definitely the domain of the teacher.As R/yr1 teacher I ask the children what we should do with a display or tellthem the work we are doing could go on that board 'what should we do?they tell me!

We buy mounts and they save so much time!( only use them if appropriate)

 

Good luck please don't let this put you off. x

[Guest]

I don't feel any better after speaking to her - she basically just told me that I had to deal with it! She just spoke to me as a deputy head rather than my mentor. The displays are now a mark making display - with clipart pictures of pencils writing, a time for thinking display with photos on from the internet and a time for talking that has two speech bubbles on with nothing inside. She rearranged my shape display and told me to put up a new birthday board. I don't feel as though I can develop her displays because it has come from her thoughts -I don't know where she wanted them to go. I just want to take them down and start again!

 

Thank you again for everybody's support - I will keep my head down and get this year out of the way and hopefully get a good reference

 

x

Edited October 15, 2011 by Guest

[Cait]

How incredibly sad. A knee jerk reaction could be to ask at a meeting where your display areas are within the school, for your children's work etc

[Guest]

I really feel for you, you have been treated really badly . Please try and take some ownership now - as the rest of the year is a very very very long time when you feel so demoralised.

Could you get some of the children's mark- making , back it as they deem appropriate and then take it to your mentor and explain why you think it will further 'enhance' the display and give your children some input into their environment ?

I realise it is not what you feel like doing but you need to show them and yourself that you will not be beaten by their rubbish practice!

 

 

PS I have just been thinking about how you could come to a more shared vision between their ideas and yours, for example could you keep the same pictures/work/ photographs from your 'Why I love Teaching' so that it would become 'Why we love learning'. A small change in emphasis that might tick a few Ofsted boxes ?

 

I really hope this helps, you come across as really enthusiastic and child-centred so don't less this destroy your confidence x