Office Recap

I started the year with what my classroom looked like, so it seemed only right to end the year with what it looks like now! Any teacher will know that how you visualise things and how they end up, are two completely different entities. So here's what happened...

​Our Learning Walls

My English Working Walls became a staple part of my lessons, an extra resource that I referred to daily. I've got a separate post about them currently drafted. The main rule is that nothing gets added unless it has been used with the children (otherwise it just becomes wall paper). Ideally, I like to think the children seeing it being used and then pinned to the wall gives it a bit more context.

My Maths board works in the same way. I try to use them as pictorial versions of their brain; a symbol of what they're expected to remember. A challenge no doubt, but also a useful reference.

​Those mini whiteboards?
​Remember that grand idea to write up the objectives for each week, and have the children move their name to signal their understanding? Never happened.

It was a great idea in theory, but it's nothing that marking wouldn't have told me. It would have added ownership, but I also felt I'd achieved a great deal of ownership with the Entry Quizzes (which are one of the things I will definitely continue in the new year).

Foundation Subjects
​I have really enjoyed using this, almost as a scrap book. It's been really easy to add to and take from. Depending on what we've been learning at the time, it's been useful to refer to, a simple place to add 'things we've learnt', a great source of feedback and it's also served as a place to display those extra bits they bring in as homework or independent study. In future, I'd like to add more photos and maximise its use at the beginning and end of lessons. I love a Post-It!

Record Keeping
​Providing a very visual place to keep track of homework submission has proved very useful. However, I realised it's not a cumulative record. For this reason, I started using a chart (at the bottom) where the children mark themselves off. I will make better use of this in the new year to keep track of all home learning: core subjects, reading and the like. I believe increasing the children's responsibilities is key as they get older. Remembering kits, deadlines and so on is likely something we could all do with improving.

This has been my favourite classroom to design so far, and I've already plotted out my thoughts for the summer overhaul. Different table setup, some colour changes, etc.

​I love the fresh start of a September, using everything you've learnt from the year gone by.
​Watch this space. What have you learnt? What went well? What will you do differently?