I am so fortunate to teach in a school that permits me to hang student artwork and other decorations from the ceiling of my classroom. Hanging decorations give my room that fun spark that makes my learning atmosphere fun.
My first few years of teaching, I was constantly pushing desks around and climbing on top of them to reach the florescent lights that I clip most of my classroom decorations to. After a few years, a more seasoned teacher taught me her trick for hanging items using a yardstick and paperclips. Let me tell you, this little teacher trick was a lifesaver! What previously required at least 15 minutes of my time has been reduced to less than 5 minutes. Seriously, I timed it today. I can hang an item from my classroom lights in less than 20 seconds – and my feet never leave the ground!
If you are still climbing all over your classroom furniture to hang ceiling decorations – STOP! I stepped back in front of the camera to share a new instructional video with you.
I hope this makes your life much easier! Happy Hanging!
13 Responses
LOve it! I can’t wait to go back to my classroom tomorrow to check my lights! Thanks for your great video. (your classroom is amazing!)
If you don’t want to have to put a hole in student work and string it up every time, then leave the fishing line up permanently with a small clip at the bottom. You can clip the art work without a hole and without cutting fishing line every time.
Even easier-hang plastic hanger clips (like the clips that can slide off of a pant/skirt hanger) at the end of fishing line to the height that you can reach. There is no climbing the rest of the year, just clip the art work using the hanger clips. You can easily walk around the room, reach up and clip your artwork.
Dear Mrs. Gavin,
What gauge of fishing line do you use? My hubby bought me some, but it is so think it won’t stay tied. I love your bright and happy classroom.
Hi Rozalia,
It’s not the gauge of the fishing line that’s important. I have the same issue, but it’s easily solved by how you tie the fishing line. I have looked all over the internet for a video to show you since it’s awkward to explain. No such luck, so here goes: you want to make a loop with the fishing line and keep both ends of the line together while you make the knot. Wrap them around the loop and keep them together while you pull them through the small loop you created when you wrapped them around. I really, really hope that makes some kind of sense!
My husband just found the name of the knot online. It’s called an “overhand knot”. It will be way more helpful for you to look it up, than try to understand my directions!
For some reason, I can’t see the video. Can you please reply with the link? Thanks.
Hi there! I’m so sorry for the video trouble.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFgLc5LgD4c
I can’t see the video for some reason, it isn’t showing s trying but blank space. Can you email it to me? Or reply with the link? Thanks!!
Hi there! I’m so sorry for the video trouble. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFgLc5LgD4c
Hi Ms.Gavin
How does your building inspector allow this. It is a HUUUUGE fire hazard violation. We aren’t allowed to hang anything from the ceiling since like 10 or 11 years ago. Because of all the materials being hung are not fire retardant…in a room like yours the heaven forbid a fire would happen, then it just be fueled that much more by all the paper in the ceiling…I don’t mean to rain on your gorgeous parade, but I used to hang lots of stuff on my ceiling too, and I was told to take it all down. —I just want to pass it along becauseI honestly didn’t know wither when I was told. We were, in fact, shown a video of the fire department in their testing facilities and it was crazy scary how quickly the room was engulfed. Again, I don’t mean to alarm you, but it may the difference between a tragedy and a happy ending.