Posters and other decorations that focus on education can serve as visual aids for a teacher's lessons. Such posters might remind science students of the number of planets in the solar system or illustrate the periodic table of the elements. Health and biology classrooms may feature diagrams of the human body, its organs and its systems. Beyond posters, the very structure of a building may serve as a teaching aid. Vocational schools may incorporate every aspect of their buildings into immersive training tools for students by asking students to observe aspects of the building's structure during lectures on architecture or interior design.
Older theories on optimal educational environments proposed that neutral colors, such as beige and white, allowed students to focus on their teachers rather than their environments. More modern approaches incorporate stimulus-rich environments in the hope of improving learning. Certain colors may also influence the students' moods, and vivid surroundings may provide the stimulation students need to retain interest in their lessons.
Some students may find themselves restless or hyperactive in brightly lit environments, while others prefer a well-lit work space. By incorporating bookcases, screens and other furniture into the classroom, the teacher creates areas of varying degrees of shade and light. Students can then be moved to the part of the classroom where they feel most comfortable. A student's physical environment may even act as a supplemental inanimate teacher, providing the wandering mind with bookshelves, stimulating art and informational decorations with which to occupy itself.
Many celebrities choose to be featured in posters that depict them pursuing educational pastimes and encourage students to follow in their footsteps. For example, the American Library Association publishes classroom posters featuring musicians, authors, actors and other famous people encouraging young fans to read. When their heroes endorse education, students are encouraged to pursue it themselves.