Classroom Transformation Beginnings

"The true strength in our classroom lies in the collaboration of learners...not in the knowledge of one expert"

I'm so excited about my new classroom door decor. I used my Silhouette craft cutter and vinyl cling material. Easy and I love it.

My students have struggled this year with trying to learn in the 21st century, but in a classroom that is clearly stuck in the 20th century with its antiquated students desks and fixtures. To celebrate 2015, I have begun to try and make a workspace that allows for collaborative learning, effective use of technology, and trying to make it an inviting space where we are excited to gather each day to learn.

Here are some frightening images of what we have been making do with.

I have been trying to make it collaboration friendly, so desks in 'L' shapes was one of the many iterations that we have attempted this year.





The area under the Canadian flag is a teacher desk, file cabinet and open bookshelves - necessary because the old projector we had required a wired connection. (The child with the waving arms is my daughter, not a student, so no worries about privacy.) My new projector is wireless and we are loving it.  I am no longer chained to my desk and am working on emptying it out and hoping to replace it with a standing workstation.

Soon, I am hoping the area where my desk was will be a cozy reading nook. My students are excited about the changes and my two librarians (we apply for class jobs at the beginning of the year) are going to be busy setting up the new space.

Stay tuned.