If you asked a 10 year old they might say that bears live in caves, fish live in fishbowls and teachers live in classrooms. While this might not be all that accurate, the truth is the classroom is the teacher’s special arena. Like a prize fighter knows the ring, like an actor knows her stage, the teacher is trained to have a clear understanding and respect for the dynamics of his or her classroom.
The classroom is where we spend most of our school days and it is also a place that should inspire our students. So it follows that our classrooms should be exciting and engaging for both ourselves and our students.
Your classroom is for you
Your classroom is your own little world, away from school politics, administrative
issues and staff disagreements. My classroom is a place where I can focus on doing what I was trained to do, to teach and inspire young minds. If you are not used to taking pride in your classroom, take a few minutes today to look around and appreciate your territory. It is your workplace, your amphitheatre, your pitch. Maybe you could tidy your desk, or carve out a new creative space or bring in a bunch of flowers in the morning. Whatever you do, make sure that your classroom continues to inspire you as much as it does your students.
Your classroom is for your students:
Your students are the ones that will build connections between what they are learning under your teaching and the world outside of the four walls of your class. Classrooms should be wonderfully creative, inspiring and stimulating places that challenge your students. For this reason teachers should never get comfortable with their classrooms. Being deliberate with the space and changing things up from time to time are vital to the health of your classroom.
So here are some tips to keep your classrooms full of energy and life:
Inspire your students
Have you ever sat in a doctor’s surgery waiting for a consultation? It’s pretty uninspiring. Many are out-dated, with drab pictures hanging off the grey (or beige) walls. The atmosphere is sterile and not a place that you would want to spend more than a few minutes. Here’s the scary thing: I have been in many classes that are the same! It’s time to be honest with yourself, if you take a good look at your classroom and assess the damage. It’s never too late to change things and it’s never too late to inspire your students.
Empower them to take responsibility for their own learning
One of the things that I love about infants’ classrooms is that they are typically very visually rich. They are colourful and engaging environments. Creating and environment in which students take responsibility for their own learning and where they solve problems for themselves is vital. This could mean adding cards with new words or letters to the room. It could mean keeping your reading corner stocked with interesting books. For high school teachers it could mean mixing thing up and creating more collaborative seating arrangements from time to time.
Provide a safety net to make mistakes and discover new solutions
Classroom dynamics are not just determined by the space, but also by the attitudes and expectations of the teacher and the students. One this I am passionate about it making my classroom a safe place where students can experiment with ideas, ask any questions and try things out without the fear of failure or judgement. Mistakes are a part of life and classrooms need to be places in which students feel comfortable and confident to try and solve problems even if they might get it wrong. In my opinion, making mistakes and learning from your mistakes is not encouraged enough in schools. Championing students who take a risk for a positive outcome is one of the best things you can do as a teacher.
Enrich their lives and their learning experience
Your students should leave your classroom – whether at the end of the day, at the end of the term, or at the end of year – feeling inspired and encouraged to be their best. In many of the schools that I have worked in the classroom is sometimes the most stable and encouraging place in a child’s life. Your classroom should represent a place where children are encouraged to be themselves, try new things, challenge their thinking and be their best. I find laughter and personal and specific encouragement are vital to making the classroom an enriching place.
Cater to many learning styles
Howard Gardiner (1983), the famous educational researcher, identified at least eight types of intelligences. If you have been living in a cave and you are not familiar with his work you need to be. He argues that each child is gifted in a type, or a variety of, intelligences. When setting up your classroom you must ensure that each intelligence is catered for. For example for the special learners have content that stimulates spatial judgement and the ability to visualize with the mind’s eye. When designing your classroom and your teaching program make sure that each of these intelligences are equally catered for so that all students are engaged.
Classrooms are wonderful places. For many students they provide a place of refuge and encouragement, which they may not have elsewhere.. They are places of unlimited possibilities and places that should encourage students to dream and be more than they could have ever imagined.
What do you do in your classroom to make it an engaging and fun space? What will you change to make it even better?