Vera Teschow.ca
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Classroom set up

9/1/2015

1 Comment

 
Why is it that the week before school, when teachers are invariably hauling boxes, moving desks, rearranging seating and running up and down the stairs of non-air-conditioned buildings to consult with colleagues, the weather in the GTA insists on skyrocketing into the 30s?!
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This year, I am trying to be very conscious of how the physical plant in my classroom can support inquiry and collaboration; I am trying to create spaces -- given the limitations of the existing furniture and space -- where students can meet as a class as well as in small groups, where they can find a corner to work on their own or with a partner, where they can use their bodies, their pencils or their devices to explore and record their learning.
With the support of and guidance from my new Principal, I arranged my new classroom (I've moved into the North Building of our school, and onto the second floor) so that the seating begins in a large circle, with two tables, several desks and a reading corner around the perimeter.  There is also a large potential work space in the middle of the room.
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The room itself is almost ready; my desk, on the other hand, shows evidence of much planning still in progress!!
The circle was something I'd observed in the classrooms of some of my colleagues last year.

I'm hopeful that this unconventional classroom arrangement, along with my foray into virtual classroom management through the use of Edmodo,  will foster a more effective learning climate as I move my teaching into the 21 Century.  It's a bit of new step for me, and I'm thinking of ways to effectively facilitate this new flexibility in the context of 40-minute periods and five different classes I teach, but I have a sneaking suspicion that once I figure this out, I will never go back to groups of desks.
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1 Comment
Carrol
9/2/2015 04:18:21 pm

Looks very inviting Vera, enjoy!

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    About Vera...

    Vera & her Sons, April 2021
    After writing for several teacher and multiple birth publications, including ETFO's Voice Magazine, Multiple Moments, and the Bulletwin, Vera turned her written attention to prolific blogging for some years, including BiB,  "Learn to Fly with Vera!"  and SMARTbansho .  Homeschooling 4 was her travel blog in Argentina.  She now spends more time on her Instagram (@schalgzeug_usw)  than her blog (pictures are worth a thousand words?!) 
    DISCLAIMER
    The views expressed on this blog are the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the perspectives of her family members or the position of her employer on the the issues she blogs about.  These posts are intended to share resources, document family life, and encourage critical thought on a variety of subjects.  They are not intended to cause harm to any individual or member of any group. By reading this blog and viewing this site, you agree to not hold Vera liable for any harm done by views expressed in this blog.
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Vera C. Teschow, OCT, M.Ed., MOT
Toronto, ON & St Peter's Harbour, PE
www.verateschow.ca 2021
Photos used under Creative Commons from Sean MacEntee, Studio Paars, Bengt Nyman, zeevveez, GoodNCrazy, CJS*64, Accretion Disc, CharlesLam, Courtney Dirks, CJS*64 "Man with a camera", Accretion Disc, Bobolink, Ian Muttoo, BioDivLibrary, Alaskan Dude, IsabelleAcatauassu, runran, Transformer18, jglsongs, Create For Animal Rights, david_shankbone, Paul J Coles, foilman, Newport Geographic, Photo Everywhere, kevin dooley, Claudio , Alex Guibord, Tscherno, f_mafra, Terry Madeley, musee de l'horlogerie, BobMacInnes, wwarby, jonathangarcia, amboo who?, chimothy27, Elin B, cliff1066™, Grzegorz Łobiński, Rennett Stowe, Farhill, Phil Manker, Guitarfool5931, airguy1988, dierk schaefer, Rob Stemple, katerha, StockMonkeys.com, Ramotionblog, andrewk3715, charlywkarl, AJC1, rachel_titiriga