Though the nature of educational displays are often involved in educational
philosophies, few studies explore how design functions in elementary classroom
environments. This study gathered and analyzed teachers’ perceptions of classroom displays
in elementary classrooms by interviewing 23 kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers within
Los Angeles County. By using qualitative research in the form of semi-structured interviews,
teachers expanded on the particular choices they make when designing and creating
classroom displays and the challenges they face in implementation. Through the coding and
analysis of these open-ended interviews, themes and trends revealed teachers’ perceptions of
classroom displays, the influences that shaped their understanding, and what factors
ultimately drove their praxes. Findings reveal a connection between teachers’ pedagogical
beliefs and the implementation of their designs; their responses indicate that teachers view
classroom displays as a valuable asset, but lack guidance in creating displays. This indicates
opportunity for further research and professional development in the area of the visual
classroom environment.