Model Classroom... A Work In Progress

So some of you are wondering about the model classroom I mentioned I was setting up in a school in DC... the classroom is in Browne Education Campus.  Browne is a big school but they have an entire third floor that is unused space, so we asked for it! And our wish was granted.

We headed over there the week before school started to scope things out...  and this is what we found! They had an empty floor all right, but it was more or less storage space! We had a lot of cleaning to do! Dead bugs, old books, even a Christmas tree! I swear it smelled like a dead animal! It took DAYS just to get stuff either thrown out or put into the storage closets at the back of the room. 

I really never thought I'd see the day when it looked and felt like a classroom, but we did it.  I still wouldn't call it MODEL, but at least we have a space that my adult students can come into and learn. I have a classroom.  It even has a bulletin board! 

That's a picture of Sydney. She is my coordinator for Small Group Literacy schools in the District and she worked SO HARD in this classroom with me.  This work is NOT for the faint of heart!

We are ready for teachers! It still needs some work and I'll do a little every time I go, but I have a classroom again- I have no budget to set up this classroom- and I had to buy my own garbage can, but it is my classroom. 

Just being in a classroom again feels so good!   Best part of the whole thing- there are REAL LIVE KIDS right downstairs every day. So when teachers come to trainings in "my classroom" I can do demo lessons with students from the school!  REAL Guided Reading lessons- here we come! 

Not sure if you can tell, but this bulletin board says CAUTION: Teachers at Work! There is another side that will say LITERACY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.  Thanks to the DCPS interns, otherwise known as UELIPs (Urban Education Leadership Intern Program) for their artistic skills in this lonely space! Slowly but surely, this is going to be a great place to learn! We are DCPS- and we can DO THIS! 

Show and Tell at SWS @ Logan

I had the opportunity to go to a Reggio inspired school in DCPS last week.  I love early childhood! I love Reggio and its emphasis on the spirit and worth of being a child.  Childhood matters. Kids matter and at at a Reggio school it is evident with every step.

I started at a Morning Meeting and Sharing Time in a PK classroom.  I got to receive a handshake, a high five, or a hug.  I wanted a high five and my partner wanted a handshake.  I loved this idea for natural materials to mark how many questions/comments can be made after someones share time.

Sharing time this day at Morning Meeting was about their cicada adventures/learning/experience. I learned more than I ever thought I'd know about cicadas in a brief five minutes I must say.

 Look at these BLOCK structures! And the fact that they STAY up- they don't get cleaned up every day. This just screams childhood rather than "school".

When they are ready to clean up... here is the sign that says so. Otherwise- it lives another day.

This made me laugh out loud! What a unique use of corks! It's a bridge of course! I guess I'll need to drink a little more Chardonnay for the kiddos at SWS!

More block inspiration.... where would one get a poster like this? I need one. For my basement and that classroom I'm going to have again... some day! 

And in a first grade classroom they were knee deep in Writing Workshop (the Katie Wood Ray kind) and publishing books- lots and lots of books! I loved this clever display for the author's work. 

I'll keep going to schools... and I'll keep taking my camera.
I love my job!

Lovin' This in Lubbock

 I worked last month in Lubbock ISD for a Writer's Workshop training for their district. We had a great day full of Writer's Notebooks and CSCOPE IFDs color coded pink.

But I have to say my favorite site was in the halls of the administration building. It is a map tracking all the places Lubbock grads have gone to college! I think every school district should have something like this- maybe every high school?  I wonder if DCPS has something like this?

I just loved the idea. The only problem... Texas kids are choosing the WRONG Michigan school! Seriously!

I hope this inspires someone out there the way it did me!

Show and Tell at H.D.Cooke

Another day out in DC Public Schools! I was snapping away! I hope you enjoy some of the sights from H.D. Cooke Elementary, the same way I did.

DCPS (and the research) says that kids should know their own reading level and then make goals for their reading progress. This was a very cute display of reading levels in a Kindergarten classroom. 

Great anchor chart! 

I love this! You have to spell it out for kids! Teach kids how to advocate for themselves and let them know that they are responsible for sticking up for themselves and that everyone should treat classmates with respect. 

Would you not KILL for a room with WINDOWS like this? And with the art on the window panes, this looks like stained glass!

 

I loved this teacher's plan for rereading at the table.  When you reread- circle the word play. When you reread- underline the word like.  Another reason to use books from Reading A-Z! 

Check US OUT! I love it. I needed a board like this when I was in the classroom! 

Another anchor chart to explain and help students understand one of their                                   Common Core State Standards.

The three Bs! Bullied, barfing or bleeding! (sick is a nicer way of saying barfing right?)

You know you wish you had a reading habitat in your classroom! How GREAT is this! 

TIGHT is RIGHT! 

Clever way to post Guided Reading Objectives.  

Plastic sleeves- colored card stock- and voila- dry erase!

This is the LIBRARY! It was stunning! A-MAZ-ING!

I love this too! Kids ARE stressed. Some kids more than others. But being a 3rd grader is hard work! So how do we help them? This teacher has listed all the things a 3rd grader has to be stressed about in school and then what helps.  Brilliant. Thank you to this DCPS teacher for knowing that you teach heads AND hearts as a teacher. 

SWAG! What's not to love about that?! :) 

The music classroom had it going on too! Look at this Word Wall. 

Those were real records! 

I was groovin' on this! 

Before and After

I just have to share the BEST before and AFTER ever! I recently traveled to a school in Texas to do some training on Writer's Workshop, and while I have a lot I could post about writing, I am choosing to post a school makeover instead! Walking the halls there was a lot to see... look at this bookshelf! 

 

This is a take a book leave a book kind of exchange! See the explanation! Why can't every school have something like this? For students... for parents.... here is the explanation of the bookshelf. 

I made it to the BEST place EVER in Denton. If you live in Texas, you need to take a road trip to the biggest, bestest USED bookstore you ever did see!  I only wish I would have had unlimited time and unlimited weight in my suitcases back to DC! I would have bought a lot more than I did. If you are from Denton, this is called the Purple Building. If you are not from Denton, Google Recycled Books. 

Take a peek at the inside.. this is the children's section... I was in heaven! 

Also on the same street were some great antique shops. But the kind where you can afford stuff! Look what I found! It took me traveling ALL the way to Texas to find it. But now it is mine! Pretty appropriate since I live a mile from the his house now! 

Another pic from the school.  How cute is that?! Better than the yellow yarn I used to use! 

So about this BEFORE and AFTER... I was walking through the halls when I saw this awesome "Get College Ready" display! Look closely... do you see the disgusting display from Ann Arbor Michigan? 

Why on EARTH would a school in Texas have an advertisement for U of M? It just didn't sit right with me. So I took care of it. Look again! BEST makeover ever!

Now if I could just get rid of the Texas Longhorns.... 

Show and Tell from Birdville ISD

I was in Birdville ISD last month and took so many pictures of CUTE, CUTE, CUTE stuff! I am sharing that CUTENESS with you today.

 





My photo taking skills are not so great here, but look at those curtains! No sewing necessary. Just pinking shears to cut strips and tie on the curtain rod! Done! I love it!















This was a fantastic school wide display of writing that greeted me when I entered the school.  These are big poster frames and student work samples blown up! I love it! I wish every school had something like this!

Then in another classroom I went to, a teacher has a bulliten board dedicated to quotes from books! Kids have pinned their favorite book quotes to the wall. This teacher also has quotes all over the walls of the room! This is so Donnalyn Miller/Book Whisperer and I love it!














I just love this! I may have to do this to my office! Just because I don't have a classroom, doesn't mean I can't have an inspiring work space!

Keep the greatness going! This whole classroom had a MOVIE theme! Look at this big bulliten board. I had this board above my students cubby areas too, but look what she has done with black paper and a few red sheets.  Now it is a stage! Teachers are so clever!

Fitting with the movie theme... look her her students can get a new pencil when they need one!

More teacher genius. Look at the tension rod between two bookcases and the shower curtain clips to display her magazines in the reading corner.

I've never dones this before have you? A toothbrush drive in the month of February? I love the idea! It's so many small things and big great ideas that make me want to be back in the classroom so often! 

More brilliant ideas! How cute is this. Kids have reccommended their favorite books. I need to remember this one for Heart Day next year! 

My poor husband is going to be a BUSY man when I go back to the classroom someday! I'm going to have to have this over my door! 

Clever, cute, functional! 

Well done! 

Why didn't I think of this?