Every minute we have with our students has value. I am always looking for ways to get the most out of every moment. As an elementary school administrator, I walk through numerous classrooms each and every day. Something that inevitably occurs in every class, even with the best planning and execution, is the teacher’s desktop from his or her computer is occasionally projected big and upfront for all to see. Even if it is only seen for a couple seconds while switching between programs, often all students see this image (or something similar) multiple times per day:

While there is nothing wrong with this image (or a school district logo, or a picture of the teacher’s family), when I think about taking advantage of every possible moment with students – I see an opportunity here! Why not place a message such as your school rules, class values, PBIS expectations, or a positive quote for students to see each time that screen happens to flash in front of them on the main screen in your classroom? Here’s an example:

Click to grab a copy of this example with directions included on the side for making it your own and downloading it for your school computer’s desktop.

This may seem like a minor detail to some, but it is my belief that small details can make a big impact! Any chance we have to refocus students on our classroom values is worth the extra effort!