October 11, 2010

By: Lisa M. from Merion Station, PA
Comments: 30

Posted By: Lisa Morein
On: 6/12/2008 12:23:19 PM

This past summer I took a graduate course on curriculum design. The professor said something that really struck. He shared the story about a teacher who decided to leave all the walls of his class blank. He did this in order for students to put their own work on the walls rather than what he saw fit for his room. So, being somewhat courageous, I decided to try this for the 2007-2008 school year. Students came into my room at the start of the year and commented on how boring my room was. However, skeptic but not undaunted, I hung in with my decision. Their first project was a photo and writing project. Their family and friends photos with narratives now hang on the wall opposite the Katrina mural (see Ode to Katrina conversation). They have hung there since September and now in June, I am amazed at how the student continue to gaze at the photos, laugh, and discuss them with other students. Below the photo board hangs bookmarks students created that model after Old English manuscript writing. They did these while we read Romeo and Juliet. In addition to these projects student illustrations depicting descriptive detail from Geta Mehta's novel A River Sutra dot the walls of our room. Throughout the year other art related projects were completed and hung, sometimes taken down to make room for other projects. I am glad I hung in there and trusted myself to allow students to take ownership of the decorating of their classroom. Now the room is filled with their work and not posters of of my choosing. I encourage all teachers to give this a try.

Posted By: Franc Leo
On: 6/12/2008 1:09:56 PM

I am glad you did this. One of the best ways for a teacher to encourage students in doing their best, is by posting their work. The students appreciate this and are proud of their achievments. I have few pre-designed posters in my class, that are there to remind the students about structure and the Design Process. Other than that, there is only their work to look at. This stimulates the students in every other class to finish and put up their own works from different periods throughout the day. One more thing that I do in class is taking photos of them working on a project and then presenting a sideshow before the period ends. This gives them a view of how they are percieved during their working moments. They love this! Design on! -Franc

Posted By: Karen Thomas
On: 6/12/2008 2:47:08 PM

What a fantastic idea! I think I will do this in the fall. I know that my students are actually very critical of their own work, and will likely hesitate to put any of their work up in the beginning of the year. However, I know that as they gain confidence in their work, it will start with one brave soul and grow from there.

Posted By: Lisa Morein
On: 6/12/2008 7:49:09 PM

Karen, If you do the photo project first, I think you'll be surprised at how eager they are to put up their work. Have your students bring in a picture with family or friends. With the picture in front of them have them respond to this prompt: "In this one you are...." The point is they are not giving a stale description of what's going on in the picture but are speaking to someone in the picture other than themselves. For example, if a student brings in a picture taken with their mom, they will write "In this one you are smiling at me because you are so proud" (and so on). After they write a brief draft, I have them frame the picture. I bought paper frames from A. C. Moore. Actually, they are card frames that open up for writing. Students rewrite their response inside the card. Afterwards they can decorate the frame. I titled the bulletin board "Relationships" and they hung their work. Out of 60 students I only had one that was reluctant to hang his work. Best of luck. Lisa

Posted By: Lisa Morein
On: 6/12/2008 7:52:29 PM

Frank, Thanks for writing. However, I would love to hear more about your thoughts about the other 90% regarding the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Please share your thoughts on how this will never again happen. Lisa

Posted By: Jesse Todd
On: 6/17/2008 9:53:08 PM

I also have a few pre-designed language guides up for students at the beginning of the year but I take them down as I replace them with student work. Franc, I love your idea of documenting students as they work and presenting the slideshows to the class. I bet that helps a great deal with motivation and time on task.

Posted By: Amanda Turner
On: 6/18/2008 10:26:55 AM

I have a coworker who does something very similar with her classroom design. She has a very cozy room equip with curtains, wreaths, and fish tanks. One her most creative ideas is that she hangs several empty poster frames on her walls. As students finish projects she displays their work in the poster frames. She changes out the work as new assignments are created. I think this lets the students take even more pride in their work being displayed in such a stylish way.

Posted By: Lisa Morein
On: 6/19/2008 8:26:51 AM

Idea about picture frame display: Thank you so much. I will definitely do this next year. The picture frame elevates the work.

Posted By: Lisa Morein
On: 6/19/2008 8:36:43 AM

Next year I plan to return to putting a few things of my own in the class to warm up the atmosphere. In the past I made my room a warm and cozy place to work. I think I went a bit extreme this year. However, I always keep CHAD's Design Process poster in clear view. Lisa

Posted By: Shari Baerga
On: 6/27/2008 5:58:35 PM

This is a great idea. I am lucky enough to teach the same group of students next year that I taught this year. Although the class is a slightly different subject it still relates. Throughout the year I use exit questions at the end of the period where I ask students questions and they reply on a post it. All of this is on a large piece of chart paper that hangs near the door, and stays up for several days so that students can read each others responses. Recently my students were in an art show that reflected their historical learning through their projects. I did a project too. I took all of their answers and created art pieces that look like question marks and hang from the ceiling and next year some of their thoughts will greet them, as the year progresses we can add more and more, not no mention the other work too. I also really like the idea of the frames that change out all of the time. Great ideas!!!!

Posted By: Ashlee Scott
On: 6/28/2008 4:19:55 PM

As a Social Studies teacher I always have walls that contain a timeline and word wall from the beginning of the year. I put up students work whenever possible but I think I can really make the room more meaningful for the students using some of these ideas. I love Lisa's idea of doing something that incorporates photos in the beginning of the year. Usually my pieces involve writing and sometimes drawings but I think the extra dramatic effect would help students take more ownership of the classroom.

Posted By: Lisa Morein
On: 6/30/2008 1:02:57 PM

Thank you for reminding me to use the photo project at the start of the year. I become so flooded with ideas, I sometimes forget to use some of my most successful projects. Lisa

Posted By: Joyce Perdue
On: 6/30/2008 10:58:48 PM

A few years ago I returned to 4th grade to teach for a year. I challenged my students to design the classroom in a way that meet the needs of the class. We listed what we needed; such as an open space with chairs and floor space for shared reading and writing workshop, and area for small group instruction, areas for reading and individual and group work. They did a fantastic job. The one thing that impress me the most was the fact that they decided to blow apart the one large reading nook and make it into three smaller areas spread out over the classroom. When I asked why? they said it was more convenient...they weren't all trying to fit into the same spot or tripping over those who were already reading when they went to get a book. So Challenge your students to design your room as well as walls

Posted By: Frances Brown
On: 7/3/2008 1:04:04 PM

The manner in which buidings and facilities are designed have a huge impact on students academic performance. Good design is fundamental to learning. Children respond differently to various classroom settings, which is why it is so important to ensure their classrooms are designed to stimulate them in a positive way. By allowing them to have input in the design of their classroom creates a balanced learning environment.

Posted By: Lori Baucom
On: 7/7/2008 12:54:46 PM

I will be our schools new media specialist next year. I need some ideas on how to best design the library for students needs. I have some ideas from being in the classroom but the media center is new to me.