My classroom is my home away from home.
And not just for me.
The kids are there for 6 hours a day for about 190 school days a year. That's a lot of hours.
Our space needs to be somewhere that we can all feel at home.
finished projects
And not just for me.
The kids are there for 6 hours a day for about 190 school days a year. That's a lot of hours.
Our space needs to be somewhere that we can all feel at home.
I am not allowed in my classroom right now.
I'm writing about what I want to see in my classroom
and using photos from my home and garden.
and using photos from my home and garden.
Let's just look at it as a home-school connection.
In our classroom we need ...
pictures of people we love
projects in process
things we can build with
things we can create with
things we can build with
things we can create with
finished projects
books
reminders of where we have been or what we have done
thoughts about what we would like to do
places to work with others
places to be alone
places to be alone
books
treasures
things that make us wonder
things that make us wonder
things that catch the light and eye
splashes of colour
amidst calming textures
splashes of colour
amidst calming textures
ways that we can take care of the earth and its those who live here
yup, more books
room to grow
We don't need: full on fluorescent lighting, cartoon style drawings of inanimate objects with happy faces on them, duct tape covered anything, bows on anything but our shoes, clothespins whose function is not to hold things up on a clothesline.
last year's creating a classroom thoughts...
4 C words - words to build a class on.
And then realized that I needed to add a fifth C.
click on the graphics to go to the posts
It the #kinderblog14 challenge, week 3: classrooms, homes and gardens.
I really enjoyed this post. The photos make me appreciate how much as teachers we truly do have two places to call home. You connected it beautifully with your photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks. There are (many) days that I spend more waking hours at school than at home. We need to be at "home" at school. And so do our kids.
DeleteWOW what a thoughtful post! I am really going to think about - reminders of places we've been/things we've done, places to work together & places to work alone, and treasures. Thank you for causing me to pause and think of the purpose of each thing that is displayed in the room. Maria
ReplyDeleteI'm also thinking about what I want to do with my room when I am allowed back. Less of "my" stuff, more kid treasures and reminders of where they have been.
DeleteI love and firmly agree with this post. In fact, I was wondering if I could challenge myself to put basics into place this coming year and let the children decorate from there. I work in a school that really values cute rooms (if you know what I mean) but I am the coveted teacher for special ed teachers who need teachers for their students who provide less distractions and more push in time. I much prefer being that teacher. Your pictures are reminding me to take some myself to help create the coziness I love. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou are "that" teacher! I have found myself having less and less "cute" in the classroom. So many kids are distracted by pom poms and bows and zig zags, and I want them to be able to focus on their learning. Have you "met" Heather from The Meek Moose - if not, I think you'll love her. She has a space in her classroom to die for. http://themeekmoose.blogspot.ca/2014/06/my-first-currently.html
DeleteGreat post. Has me really thinking about how to set up my classroom this year. Think I may even have a new blog post brewing as a result.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that I love about blogging is how ideas bounce off of ideas. I look forward to reading your post.
DeleteI LOVE your list of things we don't need, and completely agree! I'm hoping I will be able to eliminate all the fluorescent lighting in my new classroom this upcoming year. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think that the things we choose not to include in our classrooms are as important as what we choose to include. I am hoping that you will blog about your new classroom set up. And tell us how you deal with plugging in all your lights. In the winter, I have to use one of our 4 rows of fluorescent lights. But I would sure love to have "home" lighting instead.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your photos, Sandi.
ReplyDeleteLuckily I have two walls full of windows and can cut down on fluorescent lights too!
Something to maybe add to the list...room to move around. Some classrooms have so much stuff it's hard to breathe.
Ruby Slippers Designs
I agree. I needed a photo of empty space. At school I am always fighting the impulse that more is better. But I know that it is not. We NEED that room to move and breathe. Thanks for the reminder.
Delete