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

High School Classroom Setup

     Well, I have finally caught my breath. Changing schools after having been at the same one for 15 years is not for the faint of heart,  and I am NOT as young as I used to be... but that is beside the point. :)
     I am finally settled in high school and all I can say is: I LOVE IT! Not a little love, but a whole lot of love! Getting up at 4:30 every morning leaves a little to be desired, but after a shower even that is okay. I am excited to share what my room looks like. Those of you who know me, know how important classroom design is in my world. A space that is positive, organized, and respected tends to get more of that back from the students who enter. And let's be honest... I couldn't work in a space that looks like a hoarder paradise anyway. The pictures look a little sparse, but I wanted to leave plenty of space for student made interactive lessons. I have already put a fair amount of that up, but that will be another post. This is just how it started out before they arrived.
    The room itself is small. The smallest, in fact, that I have ever had in 18 years of teaching. When I first saw it I literally teared up. I mean, how would I fit large, EBD bodies in there and not have mayhem? It did have tons of furniture and other stuff (recall: hoarder's paradise?), and that is what I got rid of Day 1. It actually looks a lot bigger now. The kids even said so when they returned.

Yes, I keep my desk like this. I don't like for there to be many opportunities for things to be grabbed, stolen, or thrown.  I teach EBD remember, and some days for my kiddos are harder than others. We work it out, though. 

My favorite motto: How's that workin' for ya?
I mean... if it isn't working, let's fix it!! Am I right?

My little corner of paradise. I don't spend much time here unless it is my planning period. That basket on the top of the filing cabinet is from IKEA for $10. Now who doesn't love some IKEA treasures?

     I have to admit, organization is major when teaching students on IEPs. The paperwork, data collection, Behavior Intervention Plans, FBA data, graded work, supplementals, working files, casemanager notebooks... you get the idea. If I don't let things stack up on my desk, I don't tend to forget or lose them. I also make a new planner and notebook every year. In the notebook I keep lesson plans, summative data on behaviors, schedules, and all that stuff I need to have right at hand. This year's turned out pretty good, I think. I always have a picture of Mr. Wonderful on there. Having that to look at has helped me through some hairy IEP meetings, that's for sure. 

 

      

     Now, like I said - I don't ever expect students to come in all organized and ready to go. I fully believe that we as teachers have to model every expectation. Every expectation. Heaven knows I model appropriate behavior and mutual respect every single moment of the day. Let's be clear...sometimes that involves a great deal of thinking a thought to myself and not saying it out loud, but I digress...  I teach EBD, remember? PS: And I LOVE it! Okay - back to organization....

Remember, have a procedure for everything and if you teach it well enough they will follow it. I wondered if the sharp/not sharp pencils were too elementary school. Oh no - they LOVED it! I have their interactive notebooks here by period (I have first period planning) so they are always easy to access. The black bin on the top shelf is where papers get turned in. The baskets have glue sticks and paper clips/stapler. 

     Some teachers told me not to give them paper, pencils, or whatever else they were going to ask for. Now I ask you this: How the heck am I going to get them to participate if they have no pencil with which to write and/or no paper on which to write on? Work with me, folks! I have made the materials available and it has worked out just fine. Just wait until I do my post on mutual respect. Spoiler Alert: Respect is earned, and that goes for me just as it does for them. Key word: mutual.  Oops.... I digress. Again. 

School Colors: Red, White, Blue
. 

IKEA frames = Inexpensive JOY

This is my Precept Wall. I got the idea from the book Wonder by R. J. Palacio. If you haven't read it, do so. Now. Simply amazing.

Of course we need some school spirit! I plan to put school news and stuff here. I got this bulletin board for $5 at Marshals. It was marked down from $25 because the back was coming off. Nothing a glue gun didn't fix!

     Well, that is the highlight reel. I have many more to share, but will post again in a few days. I have my management system posted on the cabinet, and I will share that next time. I will also attach the system in case you want to use it. I use a Level System and so far it is working well. Of course, with my students - as with all students - a management system sometimes need to be tweaked and refreshed. But like I said, so far so good.

     I have so much to share already! I am so excited. Please leave comments and share what you have going on as well. I hope your year is off to an amazing start! See you soon, friends. 

Mrs. Beck

Well.. I teach HIGH SCHOOL now!

     Hey! This will be a short post, but I had to put something out here so you wouldn't think I had forgotten all about this whole blog.... 

     Our summer has been incredible. We have searched and planned for 8 years to buy a place in Florida. The stars aligned, a child graduated from college, the price was right and WE DID IT! We bought the most amazing place. Ocean out the front door, inland waterway out the back. Sunrises and sunsets. We spent all summer there, worked hard the first three weeks to get it all ready and furnished, then relaxed. All. Summer. Long. Have I said it was amazing? Honestly, blessed beyond measure. 

     We came home last Tuesday so we could start pre-planning Wednesday. It is going to be a whole new world for me since I took a position at the high school level this year. I have wanted to take that plunge for a while now and the opportunity presented itself. I am in a huge school (3500 students!) teaching EBD students. My new school is Title I. I am driving about 20 minutes to get there each day. I actually have to get on the highway! Now... for the past 15 years at my previous school, I was less than one mile from my house. I never even had time to hear a song on the radio! This is quite a change in and of itself. And, I have to get up at 4:45 to walk the dog, get ready, and leave the house by 6:00 each morning. In short though, I love it. I am excited for the opportunity and even more excited about my job. I have always loved what I do, but I needed to shake things up a bit. 

    So - next time you visit the site, it will look a little bit different. I am even changing the name. I am excited to share and hope you will share right back. High school classroom reveal in a few days.... See you soon!

Mrs. Beck