Classroom Community

Upon my return to the classroom three years ago, I decided to include as many things as I could that could help to create an environment where every child could learn. My vision included a classroom where students could move if they needed to, stand if they wanted to and even "sit in the splits" if a student thought they could learn best that way. Along with those constraints, I wanted to create an environment where students felt at home, were eager to come and always felt welcome. As I started to create a version of my vision, I decided my classroom would include:

• A classroom community: everything from pencils, to cupboards, and an extent, the teacher's desk would be shared.

• A gathering place to hold weekly team building and checkin meetings.

• Flexible seating where there is no seating chart and options to stand, sit and knee were available.

• a window seat...I just wanted one

• Nook seating where you feel like you are at your kitchen table

• Tables that move up and down

• Tables that roll

• ROUND tables

• Tables with whiteboard tops

• Tables to stand at

• Tables to kneel at

• Monitors all over the room so there is no "front of the room" (I'm still working on this one but am hoping by the end of the year.)

• Places for supplies and checking in

• Enough places to store things so that there is little clutter

• Seating options to address all wigglers!! (still working on that too)

After scouring Craigslist, garage sales and my own garage, I'm pretty content with the outcome.....for now anyway. There are still seating options I would love to address...and I'm determined to figure out those monitors....maybe next summer.

I'm still working on the entire management system that works well in this setting, but the response from students has been more than worth the effort of my summer. Here are pictures of my beginning attempts to move in this direction.