Teaching with Intention-Chapter 3

Thank you to Kindergarten Smorgasboard for organizing such a great book study!  Surfin Through Second, The Learning Chambers and Sassy Savvy Simple Teaching are hosting this week, so hop on over to their blogs to read their thoughts about classroom environments. 

Wow! Chapter 3 really helped me to think about my own classroom environment and how it relates to my teaching beliefs! 

I am definitely the type that wants to have everything in place before the first day of school, but this chapter prompted me to rethink that. This is what I discovered- my beliefs about teaching and learning were not fully reflected in my classroom’s physical environment. My personal preference is to avoid a lot store bought signs that follow a certain theme. However, I was I was still hanging up artifacts that were primarily created by me and not the students.  I wholeheartedly agree with Debbie Miller’s statement, “...instead, everything on those walls was purposeful and authentic”. For me, this means that students have a use for it and they have a hand in creating it.  Next year I want the walls of my classroom to reflect more of my students and less of me.

This is an example of how I want students to take ownership of our environment.  I absolutely love the idea of students creating a word wall that is more relevant and meaningful for them. 

I love these examples from Debbie Clement's Rainbows within Reach.  This is the type of work that I want to adorn my classroom walls. 

I do believe that students should participate in the creation of class rules.  This type of student-made chart will surely make the students feel as if they have a voice.

We read a lot of nursery rhymes and usually I spent a lot of time creating anchor charts for students which are eventually are displayed on the classroom walls.  How awesome is this student-created nursery rhyme and more meaningful than one that is made without them.

This chapter has caused me to rethink my classroom environment, to reflect on my beliefs and determine if they are evident in the way that I organize my physical space.