It's been a busy time since October. I took the time to really look at my classroom and figure out ow to make it a home. A home. It really is a home. A home for 24 little bodies 7 and 1/2 hours a day. We all work at creating the cute bulletin boards, organized focus areas and who are we really doing that for? Is it the kiddos? Is it administration? Is it for us? We spend a great amount of energy on how WE want our classrooms to look like but isn't really our kiddos space?
Going into this school year, it really became my goal to sit back and let the Firsties take charge. Take charge of it all...their learning...the classroom environment...everything. Oh, I have brought items into the environment. Every the bargain hunter, I found a great chair, computer desk (in perfect condition!), and lamp at Goodwill. Take really good look around your house...what aren't you using? I realized I had a floor lamp in my bedroom I never used. Well, it's in the classroom now and gets used every day. Write a Donorschoose project. I have 4 Wobble stools and 2 bean bags on the way. Items I could never afford and school couldn't. I even have asked parents for donations...and received two wonderful table lamps and end tables. Ask and you shall receive.
But its not creating a cute space for me or administration or parents or out "cuting" the teacher down the hall. It's about letting go and letting the kiddos take control. When the take control, the learn. Simple as that. Active engagement equals learning. Let them choose their spot. Let them sit under a table or tucked in a corner. Let them sit in a group around a coffee table and chat. Listen closely to their conversations. It's about their LEARNING!! And yes, my Firsties are learning. Oh, and there are times when I do have to step in and help make choices but rarely. I have the confidence and TRUST in my kiddos that they will make the choice to be in a location and be actively engaged. We teach them how to choose their own books, we let them write about their personal topics, why shouldn't we let them make the choices about where and how they learn?
In December, my principal came in for an unannounced observation. Did I freak out? Did my stomach clinch and pray that my Firsties would be actively enagaged? Did my heart sink and what to crawl under the table? No...No...and No. I kept teaching the strategy group I was with and watched 20 First graders be actively engaged in Read to Self. I had ONE...ONE student I had to redirect. A simple "Are you actively engaged?" set him back to focused reading. I know whatever my principal comments, my Firsties were doing what they needed to be doing.
Will I be always tinkering with classroom set up? Sure..it's in a teacher's genes. But it's the Firsties room, I just am there to facilitate their learning. As I tell them, I teach what goals they need to reach, its their decisions on how they actively engage in those goals. Sure...I'll ask our custodian next week to lower some tables and take away some chairs. It's all about more choices. More active engagement.
Lastly, you need to begin with that conscious decision of letting go. Was it hard? Yes and no. Yes in the way I am the teacher who wants everything to look neat, organized, and that box of letters better be in the right place. I had to have control. No, in the way I'm not spending hours at school creating cute bulletin boards...I still have one empty! And it's OK. Someday there will be something there. I better get the Firsties working on that. Or spending hours on seat labels, creating the perfect library, or all those tiny micromanaged details. Letting go means I get to focus on learning and expanding 24 little minds.
How will you let go?
