Motivational Posters for the Classroom

Do you use motivational posters in the classroom or do you prefer to utilize the precious wall space for educational teaching aids, such as words walls or anchor charts?

I know some special education teachers who honestly prefer clean, bare walls so as not to distract their students who may have sensory overload if they are overstimulated.

In the end, whatever you choose is most likely in the best interest of your students.

No one really knows those children better than you, so you are making those choices for classroom decor on what they do or do not need.

If you are in the camp for hanging classroom posters for motivation or positivity, check out some fun solutions below…

Do you use motivational posters in the classroom or do you prefer to utilize the precious wall space for educational teaching aids, such as words walls or anchor charts?

Inspirational Quotes

Whether you teach kindergarten or even high school, many students will love the positive messages from a motivational poster.

I know even I do as an adult! {You have to love the “Hang in There” cat poster!}

Sometimes just seeing something good in writing when you are having the worst day ever, can make a difference.

Need a list of some possible motivational quotes for your classroom posters? This is certainly not all-encompassing, but it might at least get your wheels turning…

I’m still learning. I’ll keep trying!
Mistakes are how I learn and get better!
Improvement means a little better each day.
Success doesn’t happen by accident.
The power of yet.
You have the power to change how you think.
I can achieve anything with effort and the right strategies.
I’ll try it differently.
I learn from both my failures and successes.
My brain is like a muscle. When I exercise it, it gets stronger.
We grow when things are hard.
Dream higher than the stars and the moon.
My brain can stretch!
I love a challenge.
Being a good friend is something I can be proud of.
Make today matter.
Nothing will work unless you do.
Superstar student!
You only fail when you give up. Until then, it’s called learning.
Be the reason someone smiles today.

How to Create Your Own Free Printable Growth Mindset Classroom Posters

While, of course, you can purchase some fun growth mindset options on Amazon like these…

…you can also easily make your own versions too! And it’s easier than you might think!

Step 1: Choose your poster message. Pick one of the options from above or come up with something unique for your own classroom if you like.

Step 2: Open either a blank PowerPoint presentation OR a Google Slides presentation. Both do the same thing, so use the one you prefer to work in better.

Step 3: Before beginning do the following:

Go to File => Page Setup

Once the Page setup box opens, choose “Custom” from the dropdown menu.

Add the dimensions 18×24 inches as your custom size and click apply.

Step 4: Insert a text box and type in your poster slogan. Don’t worry about the font or color or size. We will get to that part soon.

Step 5: Choose a background image by choosing “Background” from the toolbar. Once the Background popup box shows up, choose “choose image.” Or if you prefer just a plain solid color, feel free to pick your favorite instead.

Finally, you can pick a background from the Google Image Search option. Just type in “digital paper” into the search bar and a ton show up.

Step 6: Once you have your background set up, the last step is to change the colors, size, and fonts on your text to make it look exactly the way you like it!

This step is all about being creative!

If you don’t feel as though you are super creative, ask your students to design your classroom posters with the words you want to use and/or colors. I bet you’ll have some masterpieces!

Here’s my finished poster I whipped up in just a few minutes. Not my best work, but students won’t care as much as us anyway.

How do you print your poster?

If you happen to have poster maker in your school district, this is perfect!

If you don’t, it’s actually super inexpensive to get a poster printed.

First, make sure to name your file, save it, and export/download it as a jpeg (.jpg) file. This just means you have converted your document to a picture file.

Then, use that picture file and upload to either Staples online, Canva, or even a local print shop.

I love to use Canva as I have found them to be the cheapest, as long as I’m not in a hurry for them. PLus, it’s free shipping. {Bonus tip: If you go to their poster templates, you don’t even need to design your own from scratch. Instead, just add in your own slogan and it’s ready to print!}

I always pick the 18×24 inch medium poster to print and then pop them in a black poster frame from Walmart that is also super affordable.