More Than Four Walls

My new classroom has a long history. It's the former classroom of a long-time math department legend. The former teacher started teaching in this classroom in 1997 (correct me if I am wrong but I believe that's what he said). His classroom fit him. Fit his style. It was comfortable for him. 

I started thinking about how I could take a space that had been so distinctly his and slowly make it mine. He had worked tirelessly for weeks to get his belongings of almost 3 decades out of there so that I could have time over the summer to move in. I am really grateful for his time and effort. Lots to say about him and all the incredible things I learned from him over the years, but let's focus on the room. 

Here is how I found it in May: 

You may notice the chalkboards. The former teacher loved the chalkboards and felt comfortable using them regularly to deliver instruction. The feeling of chalk on my hands makes me squirm in discomfort so I knew those had to go. I am so grateful that my administrators and custodial team went to work to hang new whiteboards for me. 

I also wasn't in love with the vibrant green and yellow walls. While on brand for our school, they felt too intense for me. So again, our custodial team went to work to paint them white. And yes, I totally know how fortunate I am to have such incredible people on my side, especially our math department chair who advocated for all this work to get done. Grateful doesn't even begin to capture how I feel about her.

My kids and I popped in over the summer a few times, bringing some things out of storage and checking in on the progress of the room. They LOVE going to my school so it's not to convince them to load up in the car for a trip to the school and ultimately the neighboring Chick-fil-A. They also think all the custodians are the coolest people ever and enjoy getting high fives from everyone.

It is overwhelming to set up a room. I am not talking about cute decorations or personal touches. I am talking about the physical set up and structure of what furniture, where it should go, and how classroom supplies should be displayed and organized. I am a huge believer that the setup of the room is an integral part of the classroom management and behavior prevention. In fact, after 4 years in other teacher's rooms, this is the hill I will die on forever. Your classroom has to make sense. 

A well-designed room answers, without much explanation:

• How and where will students funnel in when they first enter? Will that space create a bottle neck? Is there space for students to physically arrive if many arrive at once?
• Where do they get the days required materials? Is there a table by the door?
  Where do they put their cell phones? Is it fairly private and safe, or too accessible by others?
• Where do they turn things in? Does it make sense to be by the door or in another place where students can drop things off on their way out?
• What happens when they need a pencil? A marker? A calculator? Can they get to that area quickly?
• Where do absent students find work? Is it by the turn in area or a different area?
• How do students create groupings of desks? Is it something that can quickly turn back into rows if needed?
• How much traffic moves through the instructional space? Are they crossing or entering the front of the room on their way to get supplies every time? 
• Which areas need teacher supervision? How can the location and accessibility of the teacher desk support that?
• How many desks does a student have to walk past to accomplish a daily routine?
• What happens when 5 students need the same thing at once? Is there space for that to occur?
• Is there an area where I can quickly and easily work one on one with students or in small groups? Do I want that to happen near my teacher desk or at a different table? 
• When students are taking an assessment, where will I be? Is my desk in a good spot to keep eyes on the room?

These are the questions that matter most to me, and the answers can be challenging to pin down in a new space. Learning where the outlets are, where the internet cables run, and all of the other little logistical details play an important part in determining where things can and can’t go.

The other piece that can be a real hurdle is the furniture itself. I got rid of a lot when I left the classroom. Some things were gifted to others, some were borrowed and some returned, and some I genuinely have no idea where they ended up. So, for the rest of the summer, you can find me on Facebook Marketplace and at Goodwill, frantically trying not to spend my own money while also recognizing that my sanity hinges on having what I need where I need it to make teaching feel calm.

If you’d like to check out my classroom wish list and are feeling generous to help me set up my new space with a few needed items, you can find it here.

I’ve always felt that my classroom is an extension of my home. Not because it needs to be perfectly decorated or filled with matching, beautiful things, but because it needs to feel comfortable. It needs to feel cared for. It needs to feel like a place where students belong.

Bare walls, broken or worn-out furniture, and an empty supply cart don’t exactly say, “Welcome to school. This is your space, too, kids!” The little things we put into a classroom help create that feeling of belonging and they also make the day run a whole lot more smoothly. One of the biggest blessings my very first year of teaching in 2012 was a gift card from my principal to the teacher supply store to get things exactly like this. She understood that creating a space for children takes time and money, and while she had a very limited budget, she saw a brand-new baby teacher in need of a head start. I will never forget that.

So, this time of year when you see teachers sharing classroom supply lists or wish lists, this is part of the reason. Most of us aren't trying to create a picture-perfect classroom (although with Canva and a laminator we can get really close haha). We're trying to build a space that feels functional and ready to welcome students who will spend so much of their time there.

Stay tuned for the final room!