A Model Classroom

March, 2016

So, I wear a lot of hats in my tiny town. And by hats, I mean metaphorical hats, or roles. For example, I am a neighbor, a daughter, a sister, a cultural diplomat, a learner, and observer, a friend, a customer, a teacher, a potato peeler, a facilitator, etc…

This blog is about my teacher hat. I teach English to two sections of grade 9 students. In total, I have about 100 students between the two classes. In addition, I have two grade 9 clubs, a grade 10 club, teacher trainings, student tutorials, an elementary school club, and I also work with a special abilities class. Naturally, having my own space would immensely help with carrying out my tasks.

Plans don’t necessarily go from A to B here. So after many other letters of the alphabet, I finally received a model classroom! The classroom granted to me was quite shabby. The few desks present were falling apart. Dust carpeted the cement floor. Spider webs were in surplus. Not to mention, the blackboards were pretty run-down. I rallied up some of my students and we immediately got to work.

Students scaled the walls in order to clean up cobwebs from the ceiling and walls.  We scrubbed down desks with water and bleach and transported them to and from other classrooms. Chalkboards, windows, doors and walls were cleaned up and made more presentable. Finally, we added some flare and color to make the classroom even more beautiful. After about 3 days of work, we were finally finished! We had our very own classroom to utilize.

Before...

After!

Having the students help with the set-up created a sense of pride for the classroom. They contributed to our new space and thus, respect and appreciate it. Not only is the classroom used for the things listed above, but I also try to spend as much time in the class as possible. I use the class for my own “office hours.” When I have work to do, I leave the door open so students can freely come and go as they please. The classroom is an excellent way to strike students’ curiosity and open the door (literally and figuratively) for them to practice English. Most students are very hesitant to practice their spoken English, but the classroom creates a laid back setting for them to do so. I have also prepared mini activities for students to practice their English. I printed out culturally appropriate photos and students who come in to chat, work together to describe the photos and learn some new nouns and verbs. I also have children’s books that are at about their reading level. They love to practice!

HIV/AIDS Corner

My walls have various different teaching aids such as adjectives, adverbs, and activities from clubs. Students come in and ask questions and practice their knowledge. Additionally, I have an HIV/AIDS corner. There is a cultural stigma in my town associated with talking about sex or condom usage, so, in an attempt to reduce the stigma, I have different visuals depicting how HIV is transmitted and how to properly use a condom. Students see this every day and have become more and more comfortable with talking to me about it. They ask me questions and clarifications about HIV transmission and condom usage. Opening this conversation is awesome! Some students even sit down and take notes on the things they see on the walls. There is also a wall dedicated to exemplary work from my students. They feel proud to see their work displayed for all to see. It also encourages them to keep up the good work! Simple motivators such as this are not existent in the typical classroom setting.

The amount of visitors I get on a daily basis is really amazing. It is a constant reminder of the dedication and motivation of the students at my school. Ironically, they are the ones who teach me so much! This classroom has provided the students with unique, informal ways to practice English outside of the often intimidating classroom setting. I am so grateful to have this space and I look forward to the opportunities it can present in the future. 

-Teacher Marianna

Great work!

Adjective Wall

Grade 9 club practicing their reading skills

Primary School Club matching sentences

Coloring with my students with special abilities!

                                   

                                        Some of my students and I