Aside from posters. How can I make my English-learning classroom in China look REALLY American?

Question

I am an American and have just bought my first classroom in China for my English training center. I really like bees.

Answer 1

I'm about as American as hotdogs and apple pie, but a flag and picture of our president in the classroom may be misconstrued as propaganda and lead to problems you may not want to deal with.

If you'd like to keep with a red/white&blue theme, why not paint the walls a subtle light grey with a blue accent wall. You could paint the trim in the room and built-ins in the red. On the blue wall, you could use some of the grey paint to draw wide stripes at varying heights and go over with an irridescent silver glitter paint. Top each with a large white star then stencil in stars of different sizes to give a starburst effect like fireworks and go over each of them with the glitter paint. You might even create some red firecrackers with words bursting from them. Take a note from kindergarten classes and make a decorative border at chair rail height around the room on something like freezer paper on which you write common chinese phrases or questions (good morning; how are you today; what time is lunch, etc) with the english translations. Or you could take the chinese alphabet and translate it to english (similar to the abc borders seen in preschool). One wall each month could be decorated showing an American holiday with photo collages and phrases associated with that day decorating the wall. I'm sorry but I drew a blank with the bee thing. All I could come up with was "spelling bees". I'm sure once your creative juices start flowing as much as your enthusiasm for this class, you'll come up with many great ideas. You may even come up with more as your students question other aspects of our country and diverse culture. Maybe by then you'll be ready for the Constitution, Statue of Liberty, Declaration of Independence and Old Glory! Congratulations on your new job and best wishes in all your endeavors!

Answer 2

Maybe try to get different snacks from America. They have some in china but not everyone has tasted that. Also get pictures of the different scenery from Grand Canyon, San Francisco, Mount Rushmore, etc. Anything that will show that there are other sceneries that China does not have. To match your bees, you can have different flowers that the states have.

Answer 3

What about an american picnic sort of theme??? Little picnic baskets to keep your supplies in and red and white checkered fabric would be cute. Maybe some red, white, and blue stuff would be nice too. You could even throw in some ant and bumble bee decorations to tie in your personal fondness of bees.

Answer 4

An American flag would be a good start, and a map of the U.S. and maybe a picture of the president. Use stencils to cut out phrases to put on the wall with colorful paper.

Answer 5

I really like the picnic idea, keep it all red, white and blue. But stay away from putting up a picture of the president. That's a quick way to upset someone.

Answer 6

RED WHITE AND BLUE always works! Baseball theme could even work too, serve some apple pie and hot dogs. LOL kidding but the red, white and blue with stars would work. Good Luck

Answer 7

My niece used common board games to assist teaching American ( not English) to her students in Korea. Really stimulated learning-- and was fun, too she said. You know-- Monopoly-- Sorry-- there was another one with more words needed but I can't think of it now--
good luck

Answer 8

be sure to throw some gum wrappers on the floor