Classroom Environment
Classroom Design
Routines
1. Some teachers co-create anchor charts with their classes on expected behaviors during classroom daily routines
2. Some teachers utilize hand signals for specific times of the day like Number Talks or other collaborative conversations
3. Some teachers teach and post expectations of collaboration in the classroom including talking stems kids can use to build on others’ thoughts
4. Some teachers use charts to help students reflect on their learning during a lesson or unit of study
Learning Tools
5. Some teachers post learning targets in student friendly terms for the day’s lesson or the week’s learning in a subject area
6. Some teachers come up with mnemonic devices to help their students remember important information
7. Some teachers co-create charts with their students about key information and recognize each student’s contribution by putting their name next to their idea, like how to pick a book in this example
8. Some teachers work with their students at the start of the year on choosing books that are just right for them
9. Some teachers post learning targets with additional information about what is expected
10. Some teachers create a word wall of either sight words or vocabulary words depending on the level; this teacher also included Wired for reading mouth cards to support struggling readers in finding the correct beginning sound
11. Some teachers encourage wide reading with goal setting and tracking
12. Some teachers collect noteworthy portions of shared texts to celebrate language and to use as mentors, like these epic opening lines
13. Some teachers chart different strategies students can use to celebrate that one approach is not always the best
14. Some teachers use charts like this to show examples and nonexamples of expected work
15. Some teachers create a word bank, similar to a word wall with vocabulary from a unit of study with student-friendly definitions
16. Some teachers collect favorite quotes from books, allowing kids to add to the space with their favorites as well
Systems and Organization
17. Some teachers create buckets of materials that could be brought out for certain activities, or have shared organizational systems for table groups
18. Some teachers post a calendar of events as students get older and outgrow calendar time but still need to track upcoming events and project due dates
19. Some teachers have posted systems for rotating students through math or literacy stations; some teachers also include “must do” and “may do” activities
Behavior Expectations
20. Some teachers begin the conversation about the classroom norms or agreements by asking for ideas around these two questions
21. Some teachers, after brainstorming, also write up a classroom agreement in grade-appropriate language using the ideas the class generated
22. Some teachers post what is expected when they have finished early. Can they read, draw, help others?
23. Some teachers have specific expectations that they want to communicate about, like flexible seating options shown here
24. Some teachers develop a class pledge that is similar to a classroom agreement that students all sign and then say together after the pledge of allegiance
25. Some teachers brainstorm with students what makes a great classmate and posts the anchor chart to refer to as needed
26. Some teachers have a reusable chart to show the noise level expectations at different times of the day
27. Some teachers have specific types of activities where the expectations may be different than other times of the day and they post those expectations
28. Some teachers have a quiet space in the classroom where students can self elect or be asked to go to cool down; this is an example of a support in that space that can help kids reflect and reset
Whole Child
29. Some teachers find a subtle way to celebrate special occasions can make a student feel seen and appreciated
30. Some teachers find ways for giving specific feedback about positive classroom contributions
31. Some teacher take the time to find out what each child is proud of and can contribute to the classroom and then share that in some way
32. Some teachers use an All About Me poster for a student of the week to allow kids to share about themselves; this teacher also added the ability to write compliments about that student in chalk on a set of drawers painted with chalkboard paint
33. Similar to a shout outs board, some teachers allow for students to post their own celebrations or those of classmates
34. Some teachers focus on developing a growth mindset by brainstorming the things that they could not do yet, but were working on
