New Post

Your Classroom is a Reflection ofYour Teaching

When you walk into a classroom the space signals whether learning is taking place and the typle of teaching that is being offered within the classroom. A quick scan of the classroom environment can message to an administrator, parents, colleagues and mostly students whether learning is front and center.  https://rhea.ny.aft.org/files/danielson_2007_2c.pdf  Walking into a classroom is akin to walking into a laboratory.  Often we get a glimps of a classroom that is either thriving or a classroom that has descended into chaos. 

The classroom is a mircrocosom of the school culture. It is a fluid, organic space where minds are exposed to critical theory in math, science and literature. The landsccape within the walls of a classroom should climb into socratic thought and propel students to ask the questions that will enable them to be confident decision makers and leaders in their future endeavors. The classroom should be a magnet for learning across subject disciplines; where you feel the pulse of student engagment and authentic inquiry. That classroom is an extension of  the real world outside. Why are so many classroom void of energy, life and curiosity? The newest phenomenon within the classrooms have smartboards and AI programs teaching students without a true life connection to the minds inside these classrooms.  We see walls with commercial grade posters and charts that do not speak to processes or collaboration with peers. There should be an explostion of colors representing varied blocks of learnings. The classroom environment is not a place to dim lights and ask for silence. Students need to be engaged in their learning in such a way that they take complete ownership of a subject (Cell Reproduction,The Civil War, Alegebraic Word Problems and The Life of Kobe Bryant).  When you give deep thought to your classroom environment and what you are expecting students to extract from their day in the classroom; there is no need to rearrange your seating every other week. There is purpose to the classroom environment and the message to students is as clear as spring water: We are here to learn from each other, ask questions and give deep thought to what we read, solve and analyze. We are here to grow as learners and the teachers are here to facilitate a path to that learning. 

S0...what does your classroom environment represent? What does it say about you?