Monica Snellings
Middle school teacher, Sean Felix was enthusiastic about using our lesson, My Future Self, with his incoming 6th graders all of whom would be brand new to the Burke community. Edmund Burke School is a progressive, urban, co-ed college prep school for grades 6-12 in Washington, DC.
Sean felt that it would be a great way to start the year.
Monica Snellings
We have been sorting the thousands of books in Ms. Morrison's class — and categorizing them. We created a very DIY labeling and shelving system for the 15 levels of reading necessary for 5th grade at PS20. Because PS 20 has not had a budget for a librarian, teachers have their own libraries right in their individual classrooms.
DK Holland
After several weeks of campaigning and having their portraits plastered up in the hallway broadcasting the forthcoming Kids’ Council Election Day, the 26 students of room 220 were rip roaring ready to vote. The timing couldn’t be better – November 4th, the date of the Federal mid term elections, was almost here.
Jade campaigns for Co-Secretary (with cupcakes). Frank (behind her, in glasses), Stan (in scarf), and Carl (seated) are also running.
DK Holland
How do we keep the interest and engagement of those who are quiet, shy or have learning differences? How do we nurture a community of trust that's fair and cooperative? These are, of course, major dilemmas for all democracies—micro or macro.
The textured neutral gray fabric background is a beautiful and flexible canvas for the handmade booklets.
Monica Snellings
Walking the halls of School Within School in Washington DC's Capitol Hill neighborhood came across this beautiful display of student's summer journals. The school is a public, teacher-directed, Reggio Emilia inspired school. I met with Early Childhood Atelierista, Marla McLean, who's visual influence is found everywhere within the school.
Monica Snellings
Most readable, best looking, we'll see...
As with color our student volunteers analyzed the font choices we put in front of them. They made some wonderful observations about the character of the fonts—noting how they might be most useful.
We asked the kids to line up so we could understand the height range of kids who would be in room 220.
Our stalwart volunteers in room 220 gave up the last week of summer vacation to help us transform room 220 for the first day of school.
In getting ready for the first day of NYC public schools, we organized the thousands of books in the room Ms. Brady who says, "We always need more books." Some we don't need.
Ironic title from 1966 we tossed during our major overhaul of Ms. Brady's library in room 220.
Want more? Just search for room 220
Note: The names in this article have been changed to protect the privacy of the students and teacher.
The hanging of the banner in room 220 included two of the custodians plus visitors John Bielenberg and Lily Piel (far left). Monica is on the ladder, the teacher and DK are surrounded by the students.
Monica Snellings
It was clear the 26 fifth graders of room 220 were passionately divided about our (Inquiring Minds) plan to hang their individual portraits on the back wall in the classroom. They had posed for their photos against a background of their choosing (they voted for their new billowy down blue wall color which they love) and I had just shown them a few of the photos (not all). Now they clearly had formed opposing viewpoints of this project of which they were the subject. We could have told them this was a 'done deal'? But...
Monica Snellings
We started to transform room 220 which was a lot of hard work but also a lot of fun. And the payoff was the first day of school when Ms Morrison’s 5th grade flowed into the room, many of them helped give our plan focus when we held our workshop in May. This story is so easily told through a few contrasting photos.
Monica Snellings
We (actually Jorge and Hermes whom we hired) installed two large sound absorbent surfaces in room 220, including the gi-normous black bulletin board on the back wall. And the sound in the room has already calmed down substantially.
Monica Snellings
DK and I are designers so we love color! But we figured the kids do too. So why not ask the kids to respond to the colors. "Ask the kids." has become our mantra for everything we are doing in room 220. Just in case you are wondering we "Ask the teacher." too! It's a truly co-creative adventure in this Inquiring Minds' co-laboratory.
Monica Snellings
A big problems in any classroom is a lack of mobility. Constricting kids' movements only aggravates them, makes it harder to them to learn. A sitting kid is often bored. Their bodies suffer. The tables/chairs the kids currently have are very hard to move and are too rigid (i.e. not kid friendly).
Monica and DK with Kathy Becker in the flowered blouse and Ms. Morrison in (you guessed it) PS 20 tee shirt. Ms. Dixon (the other 5th grade teacher) is behind Monica. The kids helped create a library for the room, among other things.
Monica Snellings
We invited many visitors to room 220 in the weeks we transformed it this summer. And to our delight one of our biggest donors showed up to encourage us — Kathleen Becker, a former middle school teacher, who put in some time sorting books to help create the library. Thank you Kathy! Please join Kathy and donate here.
DK Holland
Most colors hold profound meaning. Yet when I asked our 50 experts, 4th graders at PS 20, about the color for the walls of room 220 their collective response came straight from the gut, “What if we painted the walls red?” I said, They yelled, “NOOOOO!” “What if we painted the ceiling light blue?” “YESSSSS!” filled the room.
Teachables
Illuminators
Lab Notes
Teachables
Illuminators
Lab Notes
