What are Inspired Classrooms?

If you could actively engage your students in critical thinking, problem-solving, collaborative learning, provide differentiated instructional activities, and it wouldn't require any new gadgets or expensive equipment, just a little rearranging of your classroom - would you do it?

In 2000, a teacher in Irving, Texas called his classroom model "inspired", and it was. Imagine a classroom where the computers are part of the learning environment, accessible to all of the students all day long, where technology becomes not the end, but a means to a greater end - authentic learning and application of skills and knowledge.

Here are some points of change that we see in Inspired Classrooms:

Read more here: https://inspiredclassrooms.wikispaces.com

What are inspired Classrooms?

Click here to go to the Inspired Classroom wiki (from the originators)

What do you already do to inspire your students? How do you motivate and engage your students? What do you do to differentiate instruction, assignments, and assessments?

Physical set up of classroom furniture, computers, wiring, classroom management

• • Let's look at several set-up options and you will have the opportunity to sketch out your own design for your class. This is a great opportunity to bounce ideas off of other teachers. You might want to use the drawing tools on a word document to create your plan (yes, you may print it out, or email it to yourself so you won't forget).

Click here to see some options. Click here to see 9 more set ups.

• Use this online Classroom Architect to design your "inspired" classroom.

Equipment suggestions/requirements

You already have (or can easily acquire) the equipment you will need (there may be other things you want, but you can still do it with your desktops. We'll talk about possible sources for additional equipment and funding that can help you integrate other technologies.

This is an idea for desk arrangement.

Resources

• Other teachers and professionals

• Technology Specialist

• County based

• Websites

• Blogs

• Online Journals and Webinars

• Educational Associations and Conferences

• Edmodo network of teachers