Classroom Setup II and Mutual Respect

     I realized after my last post (and a few emails from teacher friends!) that I only shared some shots of the room here and there. Well, we can't have that. I love my room, even if it is the size of a large closet. So, here are some overall shots. This will be all I subject you to, I promise! I am all about the sharing, though. Oh... and do not let me hear even one of you say: "She has five desks? Seriously? I have 47 students at once!" I know, I know, it seems like that should be a walk in the park. However, let's reflect on one major point: I teach high school EBD students. We cannot all be on top of each other in this closet or somebody won't make it out alive. :) I am also ISS for my students at times when they cannot be in the classroom due to extenuating circumstances or behaviors. At times like those, that room can seem even smaller. Also, depending on who is in the room at any given moment, the dynamic is always different. Always. Now to be clear, I love, love, LOVE every one of my kids. That's how you know you are meant to teach those with an EBD eligibility. Here is the room....

     My room is always clutter free. That is not only better functionally and organizationally, but as I mentioned - we need our space. I am not lying to you when I say the kids will generally help you keep the space looking this way. Occasionally, the situation is such where the furniture may get moved around a bit, or something left on the floor, but typically they respect the space. And as for me.... I will seriously lose stuff if I don't have it where it goes. Not good.

Basic Expectations for the Classroom

Their magnets that let them know
what level they are on.

My favorite sign:
Every day is a second chance.
And that calendar was $20 at Cosco!
Sticks right to the board. What?!

We did our first precept. I used it to introduce "body language".
It is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and reads:
What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say. 

    One of the first lessons I did this year was on mutual respect. I wrote it on the board and had them come up and write what they thought it meant. Most of them put things like: Respect people, Give respect to adults, etc. No one really hit on the mutual part. I truly believe, and I tell my kids this, that respect is earned both ways. I don't get respect because I wear the nametag.  I have to earn it right along with them. They don't get respect because they are teenagers. They earn my respect as well. I know, adults are supposed to be respected by the younger generation because they are adults.... but what about those who don't deserve it? Every single one of my kids has an adult in their life (as do many of us) that don't deserve respect. And by that - I certainly don't mean they should be hit, cursed at, yelled at, or harmed. I simply mean they should be worthy of another person's time, energy, and basic respect.
      I also promise the students that I will never disrespect them. I may be disappointed or angry due to behaviors or attitude, but I will never let my reaction show them disrespect. I have seen, as we all have at some point, a teacher disrespect a student. I understand he/she may be frustrated, angry, tired... whatever, but the fact still remains she allowed herself to be disrespectful. As adults we all have our moments with other adults, but as teachers we owe it to our students to model appropriate responses, behaviors, and yes: respect. I get angry and frustrated as well as anyone friends, but not aimed at the students. Nope. That's a lose/lose.
     This picture is what one of the classes wrote on the whiteboard. I especially liked that one wrote: Just honor us. He didn't mean that in an arrogant way, he truly meant honor each other as individuals. He explained it very well. I liked that.
   

     Okay, I feel like this is a rambling post. Next time I want to share the lesson we did on communication. We discussed positive and negative ways to communicate in different situations. It turned out great! Now if I can just get them to use these concepts a little more often....  One day at a time, friends!

Have a fantastic week!
Mrs. Beck