Chelsea Manzo Charles M. Johnson Elementary School Henrico, VA. Ms Chelsea Manzo Charles M. Johnson Elementary School Henrico, VA Ms. White’s Second Grade Classroom Classroom Design, 3/1/2016

This is the most basic of the six essential elements that must be met before any learning can happen. Security includes physical security ,as well as psychological security. Classrooms must be safe as well as comfortable to be in. They should have warm colors, and reflect a place where children are comfortable to learn and share. The photo above reflects a large classroom that allows for natural light, a view of the outdoors, but also blinds and a thick door to protect the classroom if necessary. The photo also includes pictures in the window to give it an inviting look to visitors. security and shelter

symbolic identification Symbolic identification is a way of representing your students, as well as your own views of teaching. The posters you choose to put up and how you decorate your classroom all say something about what you value as a teacher. On the flipside, displaying your students’ work personalizes the room, makes your class a more comfortable place to be, and reminds your students of their important place in it. This photo shows the window found outside the classroom, and represents the children within well. From the work in the window shown, visitors know the names of the children, what kinds of ice cream they like, and that they are working on their fraction skills by identifying flavor and scoops of ice cream as a fraction. symbolic identification

Task instrumentality is where meticulous planning comes into play Task instrumentality is where meticulous planning comes into play. It requires the schedule of how to best plan your day, a way to organize your stations and how your students will know where to go. It also relies on all materials in your classroom being organized and having a place. The three photos on this slide are a depiction of how Ms. White has organized her classroom. She keeps a schedule of the day on the whiteboard that stays primarily the same, but can be moved if necessary. She also has centers in hanging pockets with students’ names next to them so they know exactly what they are suppose to be doing during center time. The bottom left photo shows organization of any materials students need during the day. This reduces disruption and helps to keep the class flowing efficiently. task instrumentality

Whether or not a classroom is visually pleasing is actually a very important aspect in designing your room. Studies have proven that children enjoy being in a aesthetically pleasing classroom over a barren, desolate room. The attractiveness of a classroom greatly increases moral and a desire of the inhabitants to be inside of it. Pleasure includes warm colors, varying textures, and open spaces with both hard and soft places to read and learn. I really enjoy the varying designs of the wrapping paper that is displayed on the various bulletin boards. The school mascot is a jaguar, so while there are different designs and textures in the classroom, it also sticks to a theme that reflects school spirit. pleasure

All classrooms should be vessels that foster the growth of their students, not only academically, but also cognitively. While there may be posters on the wall to remind students of the sequence of the alphabet or order of operations, it is also important to include other skills that they need to know in life. Classrooms should support a desire to help and support students learn and explore all that is around them. I really like the brain teasers that are a part of the “fast finisher” folder. This invites students to think critically, and since they aren’t rushed or pressured into an answer, they have plenty of time to think their responses through. The poster on the left is a nice reminder to the students to have a positive attitude towards themselves and others at all times- a good thing to have in a class as a constant reminder! growth

Social contact, and how much you want your students to have of it, is a critical question teachers must ask when arranging desks. Clusters of desks are beneficial for working together and talking through assignments, while rows of desks tends to keep students on task more and with less opportunities to talk. Rows of desk with a clear path for walking around the classroom also helps to keep students on the task at hand. The above photo shows the desks arranged in small clusters of three and four. This allows students to talk and work together on assignments. Each cluster of tables has a special name. I also really like the wide paths that are in between the desks. It makes is easy for the teacher to walk around and also for students with equipment, such as a wheelchair, to get around the classroom and in and out of the desk easily. social contact

Weinstein, C. S. , Romano, M. E. , & Mignano, A. J. (2014) Weinstein, C. S., Romano, M. E., & Mignano, A. J. (2014). Elementary classroom management: Lessons from research and practice (6th. ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. reference