While finishing up 85% of the work I wanted to do in my classroom today, I became inspired to write a quick blog post on its transformation from the dusty, sad summer storage space it was to the clean, happy environment it is now. While I had lots of informative and fun information hanging around the room last year, I just didn't have it in me to get too excited about our little block of school property. This past summer, I planned my entire semester for the two preps I'll have, and I feel more energetic than I had this time last year. So, please, have a look, and share some photos of your classroom this year, whether you've made changes or not -- it will be appreciated by more educators than you know. Inspiration comes from around us, and we all want shiny, happy people in our lives.
Let's start with something pretty. It would be nice if I could take credit for the BEAUTIFUL bulletin board you see below, but I cannot. Two elementary ed students, one of which was in my French 1 class last spring, needed to decorate a teacher's board, so they chose to tackle my ugly, brown eye sore. I provided them with the border which represents an African cloth. What an extreme makeover!
Voilà the French café corner. We enjoy it for speaking assessments and alternative. It was a $35 purchase from Craigslist a few years ago when I left a private school that had provided me with a beautiful bistro set.
One of the best classroom supply purchases I've ever made was the one for the high bistro table which serves as an alternative learning space. No chairs allowed here! My French learners LOVE the table. There can be some silliness happening while standing back there, but you have to look past it to see how much learning and collaborating occurs. They often use the white board back there to drill each other or visualize their collaborative work. Furthermore, students who need to move during the 90-minute block have the opportunity to do so.
A week before teachers returned to campus, I stopped in to spend 4 hours dusting off the books and putting the furniture back in order. Much to my surprise, a long table and two lone chairs were left in the room for me. I'm not complaining. I now have a new work space for my learners. Win, win!
Here are a few displays I have for easy access to information that most all world language educators post on their walls. Students in their third year of study, or higher levels of proficiency, need to be able to express dates more often as they begin to share short bits of historical information or biographies and more. How sweet it is to watch the progression from constantly consulting the number display to rarely needing a glance at it during a presentation or discussion. The other three I'll post are also self-explanatory, but let me know if you have a question.
Expectations and consequences represent a required posting on any campus I've been on, so I'll include them in this post. The signs are not very big at all, and we don't refer to it really after the first week of school, and that's because I'm fortunate to work in a special community whose one-word theme for this year is #family. :)
The new and improved fake euro incentive program has been in the words for several months. At our state WL conference last February or March, a Spanish teacher from Georgia shared her system which included some creative, fun ideas that I added to the one I already had in place. I can't wait to share it with my learners because I'm certain they will appreciate it. I especially love the choices that allow us to focus less on punitive grading practices which I strongly reject. I already did this for quizzes last year, and it was a success.
We're going to skip about 55% of one wall in my classroom because it will become a word wall of sorts in the coming days. I have the pleasure of hosting at least one (maybe more?) student who will serve as my assistant during a class period. She will design and post relevant and helpful information for each unit on the wall. I haven't done a word wall since I was required to do it way back at the beginning of my career because there just isn't enough time in the day, and I strongly believe in leaving work at school on most days. Thank goodness for helpful students!
On the remaining area of that wall and on part of the front one, I have a world map in French (not pictured) and blank frames that we will fill with class photos. Note to self: Print and post pictures much sooner than usual.) Once students complete the info sheet on the first day of school, I write their birth dates on calendar month print-outs to place on the yellow poster. That chair you see will move around, inevitably, but learners often sit there and charge their laptop while working.
Every classroom needs a station where learners can have access to supplies and turn in work in a clearly defined location. Here's mine with a French and Francophone flair. :)
With the continual goal to build community in the classroom, I added a donation box last year (or the year before?) that students can access when they need a pencil, pen, or whatever else has been dropped in the box. It functions somewhat like the cash register plate, "Give a penny, Take a penny," does: students often borrow a pencil or pen and put it back at the end of the class period. I tell them that they can keep what they take out of the box if they really need to do so. Most do not. It must be noted that this box comes in handy when I frequently find perfectly functional pens and pencils on the floor at the end of the day. Instead of losing them in the back of my desk, students have instant access to them!
Not only did I score a long table and two chairs last week, but I now have a smaller, old school desk. FINALLY! I had one of those huge ones that I really didn't need. More space for kids to gather around my desk, AAAAND they do. Ha. I keep a "French shrine" up on top of the armoire so it can be admired without worrying about things disappearing or breaking. I'll post the color shot of it, too.
Now, we've come full circle in this classroom. I'll just add that the small table and office chair below are sought after, but I usually place kids there who do not want to sit in close proximity of others. That's OK. They still end up working with others in collaborative moments. Additionally, I'm able to keep a close eye on these students when I'm at my desk. Win, win.
As you can see below, I begin the year with quad seating. In an earlier post, I shared about the seating survey I do around two to four weeks after school begins. Most learners LOVE this arrangement, and I prefer it because they are set up visually for communication and collaboration. However, there are students who prefer to sit in pair or side-by-side seating, so the seating becomes much more flexible very early in the year. What works for your students?
The relationships that we build in the classroom can, and should, begin with an inviting atmosphere. I am reminded of R.E.M.'s radio and MTV hit, "Shiny, Happy People," from 1991 when I think about the vibe I hope to welcome into our learning space each day, and I hope you are able to create such an ambiance for your young people, too:
"Shiny, happy people laughing
Everyone around, love them, love them,
Put it in your hands, take it, take it...."
Best wishes for a wonderful school year, everyone!
Voilà the French café corner. We enjoy it for speaking assessments and alternative. It was a $35 purchase from Craigslist a few years ago when I left a private school that had provided me with a beautiful bistro set.
One of the best classroom supply purchases I've ever made was the one for the high bistro table which serves as an alternative learning space. No chairs allowed here! My French learners LOVE the table. There can be some silliness happening while standing back there, but you have to look past it to see how much learning and collaborating occurs. They often use the white board back there to drill each other or visualize their collaborative work. Furthermore, students who need to move during the 90-minute block have the opportunity to do so.
A week before teachers returned to campus, I stopped in to spend 4 hours dusting off the books and putting the furniture back in order. Much to my surprise, a long table and two lone chairs were left in the room for me. I'm not complaining. I now have a new work space for my learners. Win, win!
Here are a few displays I have for easy access to information that most all world language educators post on their walls. Students in their third year of study, or higher levels of proficiency, need to be able to express dates more often as they begin to share short bits of historical information or biographies and more. How sweet it is to watch the progression from constantly consulting the number display to rarely needing a glance at it during a presentation or discussion. The other three I'll post are also self-explanatory, but let me know if you have a question.
Expectations and consequences represent a required posting on any campus I've been on, so I'll include them in this post. The signs are not very big at all, and we don't refer to it really after the first week of school, and that's because I'm fortunate to work in a special community whose one-word theme for this year is #family. :)
The new and improved fake euro incentive program has been in the words for several months. At our state WL conference last February or March, a Spanish teacher from Georgia shared her system which included some creative, fun ideas that I added to the one I already had in place. I can't wait to share it with my learners because I'm certain they will appreciate it. I especially love the choices that allow us to focus less on punitive grading practices which I strongly reject. I already did this for quizzes last year, and it was a success.
We're going to skip about 55% of one wall in my classroom because it will become a word wall of sorts in the coming days. I have the pleasure of hosting at least one (maybe more?) student who will serve as my assistant during a class period. She will design and post relevant and helpful information for each unit on the wall. I haven't done a word wall since I was required to do it way back at the beginning of my career because there just isn't enough time in the day, and I strongly believe in leaving work at school on most days. Thank goodness for helpful students!
On the remaining area of that wall and on part of the front one, I have a world map in French (not pictured) and blank frames that we will fill with class photos. Note to self: Print and post pictures much sooner than usual.) Once students complete the info sheet on the first day of school, I write their birth dates on calendar month print-outs to place on the yellow poster. That chair you see will move around, inevitably, but learners often sit there and charge their laptop while working.
Every classroom needs a station where learners can have access to supplies and turn in work in a clearly defined location. Here's mine with a French and Francophone flair. :)
With the continual goal to build community in the classroom, I added a donation box last year (or the year before?) that students can access when they need a pencil, pen, or whatever else has been dropped in the box. It functions somewhat like the cash register plate, "Give a penny, Take a penny," does: students often borrow a pencil or pen and put it back at the end of the class period. I tell them that they can keep what they take out of the box if they really need to do so. Most do not. It must be noted that this box comes in handy when I frequently find perfectly functional pens and pencils on the floor at the end of the day. Instead of losing them in the back of my desk, students have instant access to them!
Not only did I score a long table and two chairs last week, but I now have a smaller, old school desk. FINALLY! I had one of those huge ones that I really didn't need. More space for kids to gather around my desk, AAAAND they do. Ha. I keep a "French shrine" up on top of the armoire so it can be admired without worrying about things disappearing or breaking. I'll post the color shot of it, too.
Now, we've come full circle in this classroom. I'll just add that the small table and office chair below are sought after, but I usually place kids there who do not want to sit in close proximity of others. That's OK. They still end up working with others in collaborative moments. Additionally, I'm able to keep a close eye on these students when I'm at my desk. Win, win.
As you can see below, I begin the year with quad seating. In an earlier post, I shared about the seating survey I do around two to four weeks after school begins. Most learners LOVE this arrangement, and I prefer it because they are set up visually for communication and collaboration. However, there are students who prefer to sit in pair or side-by-side seating, so the seating becomes much more flexible very early in the year. What works for your students?
The relationships that we build in the classroom can, and should, begin with an inviting atmosphere. I am reminded of R.E.M.'s radio and MTV hit, "Shiny, Happy People," from 1991 when I think about the vibe I hope to welcome into our learning space each day, and I hope you are able to create such an ambiance for your young people, too:
"Shiny, happy people laughing
Everyone around, love them, love them,
Put it in your hands, take it, take it...."
Best wishes for a wonderful school year, everyone!
