Vera Teschow.ca
  • Home
  • About
    • Overview
    • Education & Diplomas
    • Consulting & PR
    • Teaching Experience
    • Workshop Facilitation
    • Volunteer Experience
    • Extra-Curricular Leadership
    • Writing
  • Learn
  • BLOG
  • Contact

IT Makeover - Classroom Edition!

2/4/2012

0 Comments

 
I knew it had to be done eventually, this classroom reorganization… despite the long weeks I had spent in the summer setting up my classroom in my new school, things were just not working!

Specifically, since returning to classroom life after spending a year teaching pre-service teacher ed in a well-equipped (technologically speaking) small university setting, I wanted to bring my new-found tech “experience” into the classroom.  (I say “experience”, because I am still largely a luddite by comparison to some of my more tech-savvy colleagues in the Board, however, I was now regularly using a document camera, and increasingly experimenting with ppt in the classroom.)

But –although my Grade 3 classroom set-up  in an older school was safe and inviting in the aesthetic sense-- it simply did not allow for easy access to technology, both in terms of computer use as a teaching and learning tool, and in terms of classroom flow.

For example, if students wanted to see the screen from their desks, many of them had to turn their chairs 180 degrees, which then did not allow them to write as they watched or responded to something overhead.  And if I wanted to wheel the Smartboard into the classroom, program had to be shut down for a half hour so we could move all kinds of stuff out of the way to clear a path for the beast from the lab!

(Click on the first image below to see larger versions of the BEFORE photos...)
Enter Jim Cash, our enthusiastic and creative Instructional Technology Resource Teacher:  Despite the fact that he is responsible for 23 thousand schools (okay, that might be a teeny exaggeration, but he does have a lot of schools on his roster, certainly more than the 7 I could barely manage as a Program RT some years ago!), Jim happily came in after school one day to have a look and offer some suggestions on how things might be rearranged to accommodate technology more effectively.

I was extremely concerned with maintaining my cosy reading corner and easy student access to bins of math manipulatives.  Also, because I run a very differentiated program, I need lots of little spaces for small groups to work independently or under the guidance of a teacher, student teacher, ERF or parent volunteer.

I was honestly quite worried about the prospect of rearranging everything mid-year, and disrupting the learning environment I had so purposely created.  My head hurt when I thought of apparently menial but nevertheless necessary details like moving all our co-created “Daily Five” chart papers from one blackboard to another… and all that stuff AFTER hard physical labour at the end of an already long day of teaching??? 

I couldn’t do it. 

Could I?

Happily, Jim is not one to advise and depart.  He immediately ensured that I booked a follow up date to actually implement the brilliant plan we had discussed, and communicate same to the custodial staff to get help with big items. 

So – as I am currently lucky enough to have an incredibly competent and committed student teacher from Tyndale in my classroom – I booked Jim to return on a date when she was here.
And…  WE DID IT!

My desk was moved from one corner of the room to the opposite corner, and the carpet was dragged, along with several large pieces of furniture, to the original location of my teacher desk. The computer and accompanying tech stuff was moved onto one large table, leaving the other free.  Other adults in the room, who hitherto had to stuff their personal items and teaching materials into various crevices in different parts of the classroom, now have a dedicated table/desk in the room.

Perhaps my favourite part of the new set-up is an larger second reading "corner", defined on two sides by walls with book cases along them, and on a third side by an old, comfy couch backed against the math manip bins storage unit (the latter faces the large teaching carpet for easy access by students and teachers).  The small mass of children who immediately adopted that space as their own, and began (and continue) to read, write, solve math problems, work through Science challenges and Art projects there was captured repeatedly on my iPhone camera the first week after the change, but unfortunately, there are too many identifiable close ups for me to risk posting that beautiful visual testament on my blog.  (We’re not really supposed to post pics of kids online, for obvious reasons.)

I’ve used the doc camera almost daily since the shift, and students use the computer more frequently, too.  A path exists from the door to the carpet/teaching space, and the mulltiple cozy teaching spaces for small groups and conferencing with individual students have been preserved and – I would argue – enhanced in some cases.

To those teachers considering a mid-year classroom revision, I say GO FOR IT!  Don’t be afraid.  Tell the students in advance that a change is coming, and involve them directly in the design and change management processes, where feasible.  Then, enlist the help of willing colleagues and friends (including someone to bring you dinner if possible – I was there until 9:30 p.m. the night of the move!), communicate your plan to the appropriate custodial staff and other people who many need to know, and proceed with confidence!

A mid-year room revamp is a MAJOR undertaking, but well worth it if it results in an improved teaching and learning space.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    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.
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Argentina 2013
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Cycling
    Family
    Flying
    Geocaching
    Honduras 2011
    Lakeshore
    Lgbtq
    Math Eyes
    Music
    Other Stuff
    Prince Edward Island
    Teaching And Learning
    Teaching-and-learning
    Travel

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2022
    January 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010

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