Day 5 - Miriam

Last year I started a journey. I decided that everything on my wall needed to be of direct use to my students. If it didn't serve a purpose, it had to go. Now, before I go on, if you'll permit me, there are a few things you should know:

1. I like wit and sarcasm. 
2. I take my students' feedback seriously.
3. I watch and listen to my kids, even when they don't realise it. 
4. I'm kind of kooky. 
5. My mom works in an elementary school (first as a teacher and now as a technology person of awesome)... and I got the creative bug. Most of my stuff is handmade or colour coordinated. 

Okay, so, some things had to go:

• 99.9% of my maps - I know, blasphemy... but hear me out. When was the last time my kids looked at a map? Nearly never. Some kids glanced at one when I asked a geography question or if they were writing a story about a specific place, but otherwise... numquam. When I realised this, I asked myself why I was so attached to them and I realised that, for Latin teachers, maps are like the flags our contemporary language counterparts display proudly. Instead of a flag for Spain, we might have a map displaying the empire at X date. Instead of a flag for Senegal, we might have a flag recounting Aeneas' journey from Troy to Italy. But... what purpose do they really serve? Nearly none except once in a while we we need them to teach, but with technology now, we have access to more immediate, and sometimes better, maps. 
  What stayed? 1 map. It is a map of Italy produced in the 1980s for National Geographic. It is not Roman. Why does it stay? It is large and clear and... it was my grandfather's. He collected NG and when he passed, I pulled this map from his collection. Since it is the only map, my kids reference it as needed and never question where to go for geography in Italy. 
  
• 100% of my informational posters - I know, I know... but how else will they learn X? They'll learn it when it is important. :) 
  What stayed? 1 poster that is 100% likely to disappear after this next year. It stayed because 1-2 kids liked it and enjoyed looking at it. It is a poster that lists the emperors. 
  
• 90% of pictures and paintings - Okay, so here's where it gets interesting. I want the things on my walls to have purpose, so I really dug deep when I considered what had to go.  A painting is an amazing thing, if it is compelling to the observer. 
  What stayed? a poster of my favourite Italian city - Assisi, a poster that tells my students that they are all talented in different ways, and a poster that reminds them it isn't just about the tools we have, but how we use them. For this next year, I am highly considering moving them around a bit to be more clear and open to the kids' eyes. 

And... some things had to stay:

• My question word posters - We use these EVERY day. There is nothing in my room my kids reference more often than this!
• My safety net poster - My upper level kids don't really need this anymore, but it stays. It is a safety net and I never want to remove it from my room. They may not need it for 99% of the school year, but that one day they do... I want it to be there, waiting. 
• My SBG explanation - Okay, this is really two things. First it is a poster that explains proficiency using some key phrases and examples. The second is a poster that explains my grading system. My kids have referenced it a few times, mostly in meetings with me about what they can do or can improve on. 
• Student work - Does it serve a purpose in instruction? Nah, not really... but it is really important to the kids that they see their work on the wall. It is a badge of honour for them.

And... some things are being edited for this next year:

• My announcements board - Due in part to changes in how our JCL will work, my officers have decided to make slight changes to how events are announced. I will make my JCL announcements board reflect those changes. Similarly, I want to clean up and lessen my class announcements board... With three preps next year, I need to streamline. 
• My Daily Engagement Assessment reminder - I am currently revamping this at home. I was really proud of my work originally when I came to the school, but some things have changed. We no longer have desks and we have reconsidered some wording on the DEA. 

Lastly.... this year is going to have some other MAJOR changes to the layout of my room. I have moved my desk to the back of the room and the supplies to the front. I've made a reading nook of sorts, and I am reconsidering the placement of many other things. I am excited, and I hope my kids who are stubborn about change don't hate it too much :)