The Back Story

This year I have the wonderful opportunity to loop up to first grade with a little more than half of my kindergarten children from last year. This is especially exciting as it is my first year teaching first grade. As I began to set up my classroom I realized I had a lot to learn about setting up a first grade learning environment, and I was particularly struck by the challenges of working with a smaller space than what I have had in the past several years. Although we are now in the second month of school I am still working on setting up my classroom. This is driving me a little crazy but I am committed to tackling this challenge in a very intentional, thoughtful, learner-centered way. I am really taking my time and thinking carefully about how every aspect of my room arrangement will impact children's learning. I am reading an extremely helpful book called Spaces and Places by Debbie Diller. In it she speaks of establishing "classroom environments that support teachers as they teach and help students learn more independence" (Spaces and Places p. 66). This book is inspiring me to keep plugging away, one area of the classroom at a time, until I have created a learning environment that truly meets the needs of my students and is a "home away from home" in which all of us can thrive. This blog will serve to chronicle my classroom makeover adventure!