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| This board awaited the fabulous writing my students would be doing. |
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| Here I stretched material across the top half of my windows which would be used to showcase student work as well as motivational posters and other important items. |
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| This bulletin board and small bookshelf would be used to motivate my students to be readers and they would all fight for the coveted books I would place on this bookshelf! |
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| I had amazing help getting everything perfect. |
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| Right before Meet the Teacher, my name was proudly displayed on my door for all to know what classroom I would be in. |
The stark realization hit me when it came time for Meet the Teacher and not one student or adult who entered my classroom commented on how it was decorated or got excited that I had a place to display their hard work or even cared that the bookshelf would hold the most awesome books out there for them to read. The question on everyone's mind and voiced by each of them was "what will you offer my child to help them be successful in third grade?"
WHAT? I hadn't prepared for that. I didn't know questions like that would be asked. I thought it was all about the classroom decor and comfortable environment...boy was I wrong.
Now, those things definitely help make the environment rich for learning but they are not what makes the learning happen.
The first lesson I learned that night was to be prepared for the unexpected. Be prepared to engage their mind...be prepared to help them be successful...be prepared to teacher because when the water hits the wheel and the first day of school happens, that is really all that matters.
Does my classroom look cute...YES!! Does it engage their learning...SOME OF IT!! Does it help them be successful...NOT REALLY!! Does it make me feel more comfortable so I can be a better teacher...YES IT DOES!! Would I do it again...PROBABLY NOT TO THE EXTENT...but I would work hard to make my classroom engaging and focused on my students learning!
