A Royal Oak teacher with a love for the Detroit Lions has taken her classroom spirit to the next level.
Meghan Mayer, 38, decorated her classroom at Royal Oak Middle School in a Detroit Lions theme that would make any fan feel right at home. Every detail, from hanging banners to light-up letters that spell "GRIT," celebrates the pride of Detroit.
A TikTok video of her classroom, posted under Mayer's username @thecrazycreativeteacher , has picked up more than 80,000 views since Sept. 6. In it, the teacher of 10 years says, "When you're a teacher in metro Detroit and you love your Lions so much, you make it your entire classroom theme." The caption notes: "Instant cool teacher status."
A native of the area, Mayer graduated from Dondero High School, the former name of Royal Oak Middle School, and moved back to Michigan in 2023 after teaching for eight years in Florida.
'The perfect time' for a Lions theme
"I’ve always wanted to do a Detroit theme, but it wouldn’t have made sense when I was in Florida. Now that I’m back home, it felt like the perfect time," Mayer told the Free Press in an email.
"A lot of my students love sports, especially the Lions, so I really wanted to create a space that the kids would enjoy and feel comfortable in."
Mayer, an academic support and special education teacher for seventh and eighth grade students, says her theme ideas haven't always been quite as exciting to the kids. A book character theme last year turned out to be "too babyish" and one year, she attempted a Motown theme but her students "didn't really get it."
And decorating her classroom isn't just about the aesthetics. Mayer has found that the shared love of football has ultimately made teaching easier for her.
"We start each class with a quick social-emotional check-in, and 9 out of 10 times we’re talking about sports," she explained. Mayer contends the time has helped her build strong, positive relationships with her students: "We always have something to talk about!"
Higher-than-normal classroom costs
Mayer, who has spent just under $900 decorating her room this year, says most of her purchases have been officially licensed NFL products, which drove the cost higher than usual. But in a unique approach to funding her classroom decor, Mayer monetizes her social media presence on YouTube and TikTok by sharing her teaching journey, which ultimately helps offset the high costs.
"It only seems right to put some of that money back into my classroom for my students," Mayer offered.
For Mayer, the ultimate goal is to create a classroom that not only looks good but also fosters a productive learning environment. "Less is more," she noted. "It's important to not do too much that it distracts from learning I think the theme this year works really well because it's not overwhelming and the blue is kind of calming."
In addition to sharing her teaching adventures, Mayer has also used her social media to share the health journey of her daughter, 10, diagnosed with a flesh-eating disease. On Sept. 15, Lions quarterback Jared Goff welcomed the Mayer family to the sidelines of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As the Lions continue their season, Mayer is already toying with the idea of a baseball change-up in the spring months: a Detroit Tigers theme.
No matter which direction Mayer takes her classroom decor in the future, the veteran teacher will surely have a space where students feel connected and engaged, proving that a little team spirit can go a long way in the classroom.
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Contact Elissa Robinson : erobinson@freepress.com .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Royal Oak teacher decorates classroom in Detroit Lions theme like you've never seen
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