Wednesday, April 08, 2009

A Couple Classroom Hacks:Solutions for Hanging Posters

Since my class is busily engaged in MAP testing this week, we are in the middle of a posting slowdown. I do have some good things being prepared to put on the blog, but they won't be ready until next week, so in the mean time I decided to write a post about a couple of classroom hacks I use.

The first hack is probably not original. I don't like the work of taking down and putting up new posters. Over the years I have done sticky tack, masking tape and hot glue (see below). Last year I received a box of bulldog clips for summer school. It occurred to me I might be able to use them to hold up my posters. I simply hot glued the bulldog clips to my wall, waited a few seconds for the hot glue to cool, and put up the posters. It was a quick and easy solution. I did learn a lesson about spacing the clips. Posters are different sizes and I did have to move some clips around after I put up the posters.


As I mentioned earlier, I have hot glued my posters to the walls before, but unfortunately I have sometimes had problems removing them. I came up with a solution that has worked very well. I put masking tape on the back of the poster that I am going to hang. I put the glue on the masking tape. This allows me to put the posters up without the glue sticking to them. When I take the poster down, it peels off and the hot glue comes off easily as well. This has made removing hot glue from the walls incredibly easy.

9 comments:

suzanne31381 said...

I've actually used clothespins to hang posters on blinds (only on windows we didn't use). Thanks for the tips.

suzanne31381 said...

I've actually used clothespins to hang posters on blinds (only on windows we didn't use). Thanks for the tips.

jkmcclung said...

It's funny you post this, I just put in a order for 'bulldog' clips today with this exact intent.

Mr. McClung

Maestro Luis said...

very clever, thanks for sharing

Leeza said...

Thanks for commenting. A pyramid of tissues?? Wow, that is something! My "baritone nose" is not going well and I am under 5 different medications so everything hurts.
Leeza.0.0.

tiger_librarian said...

I love the masking tape idea. I can't believe I haven't thought of that before--thanks!!

Jane Hake said...

Wow, thanks Mr. C...I guess it's okay to admit that I also use a hot glue gun on my concrete block walls. I was thinking that was kind of a "dirty little secret" of mine. I feel better now that Mr. C came out in the open about it.

Thanks for the tip to put masking tape on the poster first. I will give it a try.

teachernz said...

I have metal wire running across my classroom and walls. I use clothes pegs to hang work. For plastic laminated posters and displays I punch a hole in two corners, put a plastic curtain hook through and hook it over the wire. You can also join posters or displays together with the curtain hooks.

I may need to explain further.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I would never have thought of using hot glue and masking tape. Thanks so much for sharing your solutions!