A lot of us are still nostalgic for the good old days when the only things we’d have to worry about were getting to class on time and doing our homework. When you finish school, you might start to realize just how awesome some of your teachers were. They’re the authority figures who always put in extra effort when explaining topics to you. They’re the everyday superheroes who’d give you life advice. They’re the artistic souls who would spend hours on colorful signs and charts just to make learning more fun.
Bored Panda has collected a wide variety of informative, supportive, hilarious, and just downright awesome signs that teachers have put up in their classrooms. Scroll down to see the best of the best, and remember to upvote the pics that you liked the most.
Do we have any teachers, professors, or other educators in the crowd tonight? We’d love to hear what tips and tricks you rely on to help your students learn better. You can leave us a comment or two at the bottom of this article, dear Pandas.
Bored Panda wanted to learn more about the role of being an educator, the importance of visual aids, and the secrets to making eye-catching signs, so we reached out to Lisa McLendon from the University of Kansas. Lisa is the William Allen White Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications and the Coordinator at the Bremner Editing Center at KU.
"Visual aids, audio aids, written aids—they’re all good. Presenting information to students in more than one format can help students grasp it more quickly and easily," she told us. Scroll down for our full interview with Lisa.
#1 One Of The English Teachers At My Highschool Put This In The Hall Outside Her Door
Image credits: Amk1221amk
Lisa from the Univesity of Kansas gave Bored Panda some very useful advice on making striking signs for education. "I’m more of a word person than a designer, so I tend to keep signs really simple:
- High contrast: Dark type/light background.
- Uncluttered: Nothing there that doesn’t need to be. Just because your program lets you add sparkles, icons, gradient backgrounds, etc. doesn’t mean you should use them.
- Clear: People read signs at a glance, so use a typeface that is easily readable (many script fonts are hard to read), a size that is large enough, and concise wording."
#2 One Of The Teacher's At My New Zealand School Drawing
Image credits: Beastfrie
#3 Found In A High School Science Classroom
Image credits: sugarandmermaids
Bored Panda was also interested in hearing Lisa's opinion about how much educators should go beyond simply teaching the curriculum.
"The best professors engage with their students, demonstrate a love of learning, and support students in their studies and as they launch their careers. For me, this means keeping an eye out for potential internships, staying connected with my own network to keep my skills and connections fresh, writing reference letters, talking with students about career paths and their plans, and generally helping them succeed however I can. Academics have some power to shape students’ futures, but mostly it depends on the students’ own interests and efforts," she said.
Being a teacher or professor is no easy task even in the best of times. But during a global pandemic? Things are harder than ever and some academics are finding it hard to adapt to rapidly-changing rules and regulations.
Teacher Kevin, who has 20 years of experience being an educator and counselor, previously told Bored Panda that the Covid-19 lockdowns have been “very taxing” for a lot of staff. The shift from live to online teaching hasn’t been easy and the older educators especially have generally had a harder time adapting.
"The older teachers who are not technologically literate simply couldn't keep up," he said.
#4 Found Out My Kid Had This On His School Classroom Wall All Year
Image credits: bhornet2008
#5 My Teacher Had This On The First Day Back From School
Image credits: Keefkeef6
#6 A Rule My Teacher Made
Image credits: cabbage_fork
"Although I can use tech well, building and maintaining open lines of communication with students is surprisingly difficult. Students are less comfortable writing an e-mail for help than asking in person. Covid will dramatically change how we teach, which will include more online options moving forward,” the teacher told Bored Panda.
It’s not just visual queues and gorgeous charts that can help students learn. According to teacher Kevin, music can be a great tool as well. It helps students focus and gets them in the right mood for learning.
#7 Most Of The Adults Also Need To Learn How To Apologize
Image credits: hoejack_whorseman
#8 Recently Found This In The Language Corridor Of My School, Hope You Enjoy
Image credits: TheNightmareOfABoy
#9 This Drawing That My History Teacher Did On The Whiteboard
Image credits: QEDification
"Music is a highly undervalued tool. Plan to attempt some data collection on whether music can help certain students during specific tasks. Playing remixes of the same song during the entirety of a week's lesson, then allowing students to listen to that soundtrack during test-taking has potential,” he wanted to share some of his wisdom with everyone.
#10 My Cousin Is A Preschool Teacher And Asked Her Students To Suggest Names For The Baby She Is Expecting. It Went Well
Image credits: Megpie_01
#11 Classroom Door
Image credits: KimandOscar
#12 This Sign In My Kid’s Elementary School Fills Me With Nihilistic Joy
Image credits: clifflampe
"New educators need empathy and emotional intelligence over topic mastery. I truly believe the best teachers are the ones who can empathize best with their students, as they can understand how a student made a mistake, and how to fix it. Students are extremely stressed, and making the work more difficult does not equal a better education. Collaborate to make reasonable goals," the educator said that support and being able to relate to students are key.
#13 Found In My Local Elementary School
Image credits: goofballjones69
#14 This Sign At An Elementary School Art Classroom
Image credits: submechano
#15 My Econ Teacher Has This In His Room
Image credits: Skwuruhl
Meanwhile, an educator’s role isn’t limited to imparting knowledge just within the confines of the school, either. Primary school teachers Tom Rose and Jack Parnnett from the United Kingdom shared with Bored Panda just how hectic things can get when you go on a class trip. No number of quality signs that you make in advance can really teach your class to be calm, quiet, and orderly throughout the excursion.
"School trips are very challenging, especially for newer teachers, because of the constant changing of locations or 'transitions' as teachers usually refer to them as," they told Bored Panda.
#16 This Elementary School Super Bowl Chart Has A Column For "Not My Thing"
Image credits: scidurt
#17 Chemistry Teacher Made Their Classroom Ceiling The Elements
Image credits: Plebsplease
#18 Anatomy Teacher With His Drawing Lecture On A Chalkboard
Image credits: itsmeaidil
"Many teachers fear PE for the same basic reason, which is: not having a safe confined space to teach (as they are used to when they are in a classroom). The extra pressure of trying to impress the parent/carer helpers is another thing that gets in the way of many teachers doing their job too, which is again much more obvious with less experienced teachers," the teachers explained just how challenging leaving the classroom with your students can be.
"Beyond the transitions and dealing with the other adult help, you then have to deal with the many unexpected things that crop up along the way, such as the transport issues, sudden changes of weather, stumbling across a bee's nest (that was Tom in Bushy Park) amongst many other potentials," they shared.
#19 Found In My Physics Teacher's Room
Image credits: lekgolo125
#20 A Sign In My School Today
Image credits: kdports
#21 This Sign At My School
Image credits: VulthrxIsAWeeb
According to the British teachers, educators ought to try and go on the trip alone to rehearse for the real school trip. Preparation and repetition are powerful tools in an educator’s arsenal.
"If that’s not possible, then talk to someone else who's done the trip before and/or complete the route via Google street view. This then informs your plan and your 'risk assessment' which is a document that contains all of the potential hazards and problems that you could incur ranging from walking near dogs on a lead to losing a child at a train station,” Tom and Jack said.
#22 Guide To Dating An Undated World Map - Posted On My Professor's Door
Image credits: thiccmemer
#23 Rhythm Of The Pandemic (Courtesy Of My High School Choir Director)
Image credits: rakeningexe
#24 This Is Hanging In My Son's World History Classroom. This Is Why I Pay For Private High School
Image credits: Uli_kunkle
"Planning a trip is one thing, but having backup options if things go wrong is another that requires composure—‘box breathing’ is our ‘go-to’ method if we are stressed and want to calm down. Box breathing is a practice where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and repeat until your heart rate slows down," they offered advice on how to calm down if you get overwhelmed.
The teachers told Bored Panda that educators should be aware of which of their students might need more management than others before starting the trip. Some kids will naturally act out more when they find themselves in new surroundings and will challenge their teachers.
#25 Special Needs Teachers Put This Up Today
Image credits: whatsyourflavor
#26 My Friend Is A Secondary School Teacher And Stuck This To The Wall Of His Classroom
Image credits: tessrkt
#27 Found This Outside Of The Physics Classroom Today
Image credits: TheBigZK
Tom and Jack advised their fellow teachers to always allocate more time to each step of the trip than they think they’ll need. What’s more, they should reach out to their coworkers for advice. Something else to keep in mind is that students’ parents gossip quite a bit, so it’s important to be diplomatic when briefing them if they’re joining the class trip.
#28 Hilariously Dark Poster Found In Simsbury High Biology Classroom
Image credits: dp3260
#29 This Is The Sign Hanging On The Piano In My School's Band Room
Image credits: vanceyboy
#30 My Friend Who Is A Music Teacher Has This Hanging Up In Her Classroom
Image credits: theblondehippie
The teacher duo also advised their fellow educators to focus on themselves. Educators have an instinct to take care of everyone else and forget their own needs, so they need reminding that they’re important, too. Getting enough sleep, remembering to pack a lunch for yourself, scheduling some time off for after the trip—these are all things that they need to remember.
#31 The Bold Letters On My Teacher's Innocent Posters Spell Out Her True Message
Image credits: Aedifix
#32 My School's Bathroom Has A New "Wash Your Hands" Sign
Image credits: ImAPlebe
#33 The Corona Rule Signs At Our School Are The Best
Image credits: stachieboyyy
#34 Anti-Smoking Campaign Poster I Found In My History Teacher's Classroom
Image credits: bruhddit
#35 At A Local Elementary School
Image credits: Jaxie09
#36 My English Teacher Is Also A Gamer
Image credits: IAmTheRedditBrowser
#37 I See Your Pharrell Sign, And Raise You This Sign I Have Hanging Outside My Elementary Classroom
Image credits: emh2o0o
#38 These Posters In My Math Teacher's Classroom
Image credits: Yeahfilms12
#39 So My Teacher Tried To Lighten The Mood About The Hurricane
Image credits: JhbTeam
#40 Getting Rid Of The Annoying Slang (Middle School Classroom Door)
Image credits: mistermajik2000
#41 Someone Removed The Don't From The Sign In The Classroom
Image credits: Diego7755
#42 Walked Into My Classroom And Saw This
Image credits: TheSoggyThrowaway
#43 Found In An Elementary School Bathroom
Image credits: Rocketcar465
#44 In A Classroom In Chicago
Image credits: achingtopupate
#45 Heisenberg Aka Walter White Added To The List Of Famous Scientists. Somewhere In India. Pretty Sure They Googled Heisenberg And Found This Image
Image credits: tanimashfaq4
#46 You Never Know What You May Find Behind A Cabinet In A Preschool Classroom. Know What I Mean?
Image credits: tackyswoman
#47 The "F" Fell Off The Food Lab Sign At School. They're Making The Best Of It
Image credits: Evanescene6
#48 So My Teacher Put This Sign Up
Image credits: KidROFL
#49 This Was Up In My Classroom, Today
Image credits: Rosindust89
#50 Found This At My School
Image credits: Massive_Buy7039
#51 From A Math Teacher's Classroom
Image credits: drDOOM_is_in
#52 This No "Puffin" Sign In My Classroom's Adjacent Office
Image credits: gr3g0rian
#53 The Sign In My Co-Worker's 2nd Grade Classroom
Image credits: SkippyBluestockings
#54 My Decorated Classroom Doors For The Kindness Competition
Image credits: mayorofutopia
#55 This Sign At My Daughter's School
Image credits: tinsweep
#56 Found This Is My History Teacher's Classroom
Image credits: Dividedlines
#57 A Subtle Reminder In My Chemistry Classroom That "I Have No Idea What I'm Doing"
Image credits: Spawn_of_Mansfield
#58 $12 For This Custom Sign For My Classroom. Worth It
Image credits: mistermajik2000
#59 Found On The “Comic Board” In My Math Teacher’s Classroom
Image credits: TheRosses
#60 Hard-Working Teacher's Sign On Classroom Door To Stop Busybodies/Gossips/Complainers/Whiners From Interrupting Planning Period
Image credits: roonerspize
#61 There's About Three Of These Signs Around My Bio Lab Classroom
Image credits: dulce_somnium
#62 A Sign At My School Library
Image credits: Thanatos147
#63 I Teach For An Academy In South Korea And This Is The New Sign Outside The Art Room
Image credits: reversehindsight
#64 I Found This In One Of My Science Classrooms
Image credits: thetoxicfish
#65 Creative Poster In My Teacher's Classroom
Image credits: LemonadoAvocado
#66 The Poster In My Teacher's Classroom
Image credits: Amandaralts55
#67 Outside My Teacher's Office
Image credits: Tmac131
#68 The Graphics Teacher In College Knows What's Going On
Image credits: James332233
#69 My Teacher Had This In His Classroom
Image credits: aaronba455
#70 The Sign In My Child’s Classroom When I Picked Her Up Today
Image credits: CrystalKU
#71 My Chemistry Teacher Had This Hanging Outside His Door
Image credits: BadWolfTARDIS40
#72 Tell Me You Never Had A Teacher With This Sign
Image credits: thefurybrosyt
#73 My Friend's Teacher Has Two Doors To His Classroom
Image credits: Tony339
#74 I Went To My Son's Back-To-School Night And Was Happy To See This Posted Outside One Of The 3rd Grade Classrooms
Image credits: gynoceros
#75 A Picture I Found In A Classroom At Work
Image credits: McFuggs
#76 Found This Outside My Teacher's Classroom
Image credits: The_5tealth
#77 In My Classroom
Image credits: lalarock1
#78 I’m A Public School Teacher. Walked In To Find This Sign In Our Bathroom
Image credits: boujeebish
#79 Found This In A High School Classroom. Whatever Could It Mean?
Image credits: mbaddour27
#80 These Awesome "Mars Recruitment" Posters In A Local Elementary School Classroom
Image credits: Corinator3000
#81 The Paul Revere Poster In My Classroom Looks Like Jack Black
Image credits: SpaceDuck42069
#82 This Sign On One Of My Classroom Doors
Image credits: gaberz24
#83 My New Ela Teacher Has A Meme Zone In Her Classroom
Image credits: BattlerBeauty0719
#84 How My Teacher Describes The Scientific Process
Image credits: reddit.com
#85 This Was In My School Gym
Image credits: Baron_242
#86 This Sign On A High School Classroom Door
Image credits: cmonfiend
#87 Farnsworth And Bender Are Ready, Are You? My 7th Grade Science Board Art
Image credits: theWalrusSC2
#88 My Teacher Just Put This Up In The Classroom And I Feel Like I’m Doing All The Unsuccessful Stuff
Image credits: GraysonMartin
#89 As A Maths Teacher, This Is Going Up In My Classroom Straight Away
Image credits: Polythene37
#90 I'm A High School Teacher Who Makes "I'm A Winner" Signs For Students Who Need A Permanent Reminder That They Are Exceptionally Brave Or Intelligent
They get to pick the design. I give you my rendition of Heather's pet rats riding a tandem bicycle.
Image credits: alwaysanemergency
#91 My Wife Is Decorating Her Classroom For Halloween
Image credits: unevenpavement
#92 It's Dangerous To Go Alone (This Was On The Wall Of A Classroom In My School Last Year; Thought I'd Share)
Image credits: Deadtut
#93 This Sign Is In The Lab At School
Image credits: NeonGymShoes
#94 The Things That Are On A Classroom Wall
Image credits: akaineko3
#95 My Friend’s College Has This Taped To The Ceiling In One Of The Classrooms! Wish I Went To His School
Image credits: ilikecatsandmuseums
#96 The Sign Outside The Programmers' Classroom At My Local College
Image credits: JacP123
#97 My Teacher Has The Best Door Signs
Image credits: Tmac131
#98 To The Guy Whose Physics Teacher Put A Sign On The Clock. My English Teacher Thinks Similarly
Image credits: mr_sneakerhead
#99 Funny Sign In My Physics Teachers Room (Sort That It Is Upside Down)
Image credits: jamelton
#100 As Seen In My History Teacher's Class
Image credits: jaker0820
#101 My Wife Found This In The Kindergarten Classroom She Was Just Hired To Teach
Image credits: 1fatfrog
#102 I’m New Here So Enjoy This All Might Poster My Physics Teacher Has In His Classroom
Image credits: Chasedi9_9923
#103 My High School's Math Teacher Has The Best Gaming Quotes In His Classroom
Image credits: orionfusion
#104 This Poster In My Classroom Has A Picture Of Kids Looking At Themselves On The Same Poster
Image credits: Ella_Minnow_Pea
#105 More A Sticker Than A Sign, But Still My Teacher Got To Me
Image credits: sammylatchers
#106 Danny DeVito Makes A Guest Appearance In Classroom
Image credits: squidayy
#107 Ominous Sign In My Classroom Near The Clock
"Time will pass. Will you?"
Image credits: Irrational_San
#108 This Sign About Social Distancing At My School
Image credits: TheRealXudoQuotil
#109 This Sign Was In My Classroom And I Don't Know Who Did This
Image credits: wolfman14606
#110 Truly Motivational Poster Found In My Classroom
Image credits: InterstellarKing