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walk in my classroom there is a sign for different greetings they can give me as they walk through the classroom door. I make sure that I am standing at my door when the morning bell rings with a smile and usually coffee nearby. I have cupcakes hanging on my cabinets off to the left with the kids’ names and their birthdays. I have some inspirational children’s posters on my wall to the right with encouraging words. I have anchor charts hanging in different parts of my classroom that are labeled with SEL, literacy, math, ELD, science, and social studies. I keep the colors in my classroom pretty neutral with a few pops of color. In play instrumental music throughout the day to keep the atmosphere in my classroom calm. I have several headphones if the sound bothers students. I also take a class poll to see if they want music on during work time or not. There are many locations that the kids can sit and work. There is a library set up with a carpet and pillows. There is a big blue rug in the front of my room with lap desks that the kids can use. There are carpet spots on the blue rug where the kids sit. I say good morning to each of my students when they walk in and I greet them again when I take attendance at morning meeting. Our morning meeting begins with attendance, class greeting, announcements, community building activity, and reviewing the daily schedule.
Something I would like to add to my classroom would be a safe space where the kids could share things that are on their mind. I know that my students often want to share and I don't always feel like I have the time. I am thinking maybe I can put a box on my desk with a hole in it where the kids can share with me. I would desire to meet with them during the week one on one just to check in. I have been thinking about how I can conference with each of my students at least once a week.

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on of the most things that I like about teaching is decorating the classroom. First I hang a welcome poster in my classroom and then I let students to  write their name next to welcome. I try to make my class as colorful as I can  because I think this will relive all the stress. I also hang poster on the wall about some rule that they have to follow while they are in class to learn more about the system. I also put posters about they are learning to just make learning easy  for them and use it as a resource .  I also have a bin where I put all the supplies they need. so if they forget anything, they do not have to worry about it. I usually make the table and seats on a group format where the students can split into groups and I change their seats often so they get to know each other better. I usually let my students provide me with their thoughts about the posters and see what they think about it so I get an idea about what they think about it. sometimes I make  my students to write posters for me and hang them on the wall for a while.  I put a lot of effort in the classroom and try to make it organized not messy. I try to come up with new ideas for the classroom all the time and change from it every year so it is not the same routine.

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6-12th Grade Multi-grade Multi-subject Classroom

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6-12th Grade Multi-grade Multi-subject Classroom

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I do not put a lot of effort or time into the decorations within my classroom.  At the beginning the year most of the walls are bare except for a bulletin board that has pictures, artwork, and various cards and gifts given to me by students.  In the corner is a pride flag sticker.  I have a couple of frames with quotes from some of my favorite authors hanging above my white board and a tree in the corner that has Christmas lights for softer lighting (I only turn on half of the overhead lights) and some paper lanterns hanging in the room to add color.  Throughout the year the students' work decorates the walls and by the end of the year the walls are an excellent representation of the students and the learning that has happened over the year.
I have tables for seating and there are currently four tables that seat two and two round tables that seat four each.  Because of the nature of the learning in my room, the tables and chairs and how we sit in the room changes hourly.  There is also a couch that students occasionally sit on.  When a smaller class (like just a few H.S. students) is getting direct instruction we might use the couch while the rest of the students sit at tables.  My desk sits in the only corner of the room with outlets and is usually only utilized when students are not in the classroom.

One way I could make the room more welcoming is by adding more quotes or posters from or about a more diverse group of people. I really like to have the room reflect the students rather than me or my ideals but I could have more representation within the room that says this is a safe and welcoming space for all. I am also new to this school and had to give up most of my classroom library when I moved and would love to begin rebuilding that. I think it would wonderful to once again be able to direct students to books that might change their lives.

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7th Grade Wellness Traditional Classroom and a Gym

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7th Grade Wellness Traditional Classroom and a Gym

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In all my teaching spaces, I have “Safe Zone” posters that explain that the classroom is a safe space for all students including all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and cultures. I point this out during the first day of each new grading period (I have new students each trimester), and I often reference it if students are not following expectations. In the girl’s locker room, students have created posters fostering positive body images that are placed by the mirrors.  I have posters from Teaching Tolerance about showing kindness towards others, books about making everyone feel welcome, posters about healthy decision-making strategies, and a “calming corner” for deregulation that has comfortable seating, a sound machine with headphones, fidgets, and an activity book.  I did my action research project on mindfulness, and I think whenever we go back to school in person, I will plan for more mindfulness activities in my daily lessons. I would like to create a new wall of photos and news articles about how students locally are making impactful changes in our community.  I had a teacher in high school who did that, and it was an ongoing collage that kept growing as the year continued. It would be doable online, but it was very cool to see in person.

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High School Spanish Classroom (Grades 9-12)

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High School Spanish Classroom (Grades 9-12)

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I feel like every year I change a few things about my classroom's physical appearance. Every year I welcome over 200 students in my room and I think about what reactions I received the prior year so that I am able to remove, add, or accomodate for my new students in the year.

My tables are large enough to fit 4 stuents in each one and lends themselves for much group work and collaboration. I am huge on collaboration.

As a native Spanish speaker myself, I attempt to make my room a place for all students to feel safe (whether they are native Spanish speakers or not). I have many anchor charts hung up all around my classroom, but I also like to add items that identify and represent our Hispanic roots! There is "Papel picado" hung on the ceiling tiles that my students made a few years ago, and all Spanish speaking countries' flags. There is also a very powerful quote hung on the wall and visible to everyone that walks in that states "Why are we divded with walls and borders if we are all humans?"

I have many, many students that identify as immigrants and/or undocumented. My goal is to help them feel safe and welcome into my classroom every single day.

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I painted my room last summer so that it would seem brighter. I chose a bright green for the front wall, and a soft blue for the other walls. I have windows that line the wall, opposite from the wall where the door is. I only flip on one switch for the overhead lighting, and I mostly use lamps to light my room. I want my room to feel "cozy and comfortable." As a student, I always felt on edge in classrooms that seemed/felt too industrial and impersonal. My desks are set up in groups in order for students to more easily participate in small group discussions/collaborations. I have two separate tables, one in the back right corner and one in the back left corner, for me to sit with students and work them or for students to work at if they feel like they need a little more space. I'm a big Harry Potter fan, so there is a lot of Harry Potter decor in my room.I have a few bookshelves that contain my "classroom library." I like to display my students' work in my classroom and I like to have a space to display student goals. For all of the units we complete, there is a space to display the collective learning my students engage in -- records of quotes, questions, and ideas. I have several posters about being inclusive and welcoming to all, which also align with our school's mission statement.

My classroom has a lot of things that I like in it (Harry Potter things and unicorns), but I would like to incorporate more on my walls that show my students' interests. Posting their work and collaborative learning is important, but the classroom should also reflect the personalities and interests of the students in it!

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I actually just moved into this classroom from another room last year. This specific classroom was one of the main reasons I wanted to switch assignments. It has good outdoor lighting from the windows in the back of the room with a door you can exit to the outside there as well . Lab counters run along each side with an ample supply of cabinets and shelves on the walls above them.  In these shelves I have various displays of scientific items that relate to what we study throughout the year. We have 9 lab tables on wheels that we can move around easily to accommodate various activities. On one wall between shelves I have a "Welcome Diversity" poster.  In the front of the room, there is a large demonstration island with lots of cabinet space beneath it as well.On the front wall is a bulletin board where I display classroom expectations and important information. I originally used the back wall to display general science posters , but switched to displaying student work midyear.

One area that I could use to make the room more welcoming is the back wall.  I think using student work is a successful use of that space, but I could also utilize some of it to expand upon my "Welcome Diversity" poster that is kind of lost on one side of the room between shelves. I could expand upon that display with ideas and accomplishments form scientists of color. I could also use this space to give students a display space that they have ownership over in some way.

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My High School English Classroom (Grades 9/10)

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My High School English Classroom (Grades 9/10)

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DESCRIBE

I take great pride in the design and set up of my classroom (as I'm sure many of you do as well!) and put a substantial amount of consideration into the layout, images, and the overall function of the space.

I am intentional in the inclusion of the authors and images in my classroom. It's pertinent for students to see other representations of literary merit beyond the traditional canon of mostly white and male authors. Our school district provides instructions, norms, and procedures in multiple languages, and I have clear communication posted about non -discrimination policies, and the inclusive values promoted in my classroom.

I advise our school's Political Activism Club and have space in my classroom with excellent photographs I found of Angela Davis, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera (Stonewall), among others. This serves as great conversation starters as most students tend to be unfamiliar with the individuals who were catalysts for movements they support.

Students work in table groups. This setup allows for collaboration and discussion and better use of my small space. Additionally, I like to conference with small groups of students to check-in and provide additional support and instruction.

I moved away from using the fluorescent lighting in my classroom and now use softer light from lamps and natural light from my windows when it's not overcast. I also have many plants in my class and allow students to volunteer to take care of them. Over the years, the feedback from students has been very positive, and they feel the classroom space is welcoming and less stressful.

IMPROVEMENTS

I want to display my students' work and elevate their voices. The next goal is to make physical publications of their work as a means of celebration and to encourage the ownership of their writing.

I also want to create a space where students can recommend books they've enjoyed with brief reviews and reasons others may enjoy them.

I like Kimberly's suggestion of including a motto or mission statement for my classroom - something that articulates our values, goals, and the work we will engage in throughout the year.

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Hi all,
I did not teach this school year, but in the past I have taught 1st grade DL and 1st grade TWI, which is pretty much the same. Half of my students were Anglo, and the other half were Hispanic (some of them fully bilingual).
Thinking about my classrooms, I have always like to put a banner on my bulletin board that says, "Todos sonreimos en el mismo idioma" this means we all smile in the same language. Then around my bulletin board i put all of my students' pictures, too. I love to have table groups. There are either 4 or 6 students at each table. I like to have even number of students so that they have a partner to turn and talk. I  like doing circle time at the carpet. There we sing songs, do chants, do brain breaks, and read stories. All instruction is in Spanish. I like to have a library for students to explore. In the past,  I created a library by organizing all my books by level. I also like to have various manipulatives for students to use during math. At both schools where i have worked we had iPads. I had a procedure about different things students could do on their ipads when done with a project. I used iPads to enhance students' learning. Students would record their voices to share their writing/ reading/ math/ or projects with their parents through See Saw. For classroom management, something that has always worked for me is to give students jobs. I change them once a week.
I enjoy teaching songs to my students. As an ELL student I know songs help develop language. Plus it supports the development of oral skills. On my board, I have the daily schedule posted and if there are any changes I make sure i add it to the daily schedule. Students like to know what happens each day!

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When you walk into my classroom (that I share) you first see an entire wall of windows, in each window there is a plant sunning itself. There are 8 table groups of 4, the table groups are angled towards the front of the room. It is a brand new building all the furniture is new and the same. The walls are white, the floor is polished concrete, and the furniture is black.
It is a modern room with an airy feel. I have posters on the walls that each class created on their rules and their expectations of how they want their class to feel. My desk is off the the side in the front of the room. It is a rectangular room with large closets that make up the walls and white boards in the front and the back of the room. The learning targets are posted at the front of the room, the school wide expectations are posted at the front of the room. At each table there are four robots from Star Wars posted. I use these as a classroom management tool. I have a small movable white board on wheels where students put their phones in cubbies, on the other side are our circle norms.
I stand outside my classroom to greet the students as they enter the classroom, an agenda posted with a smiley face. There are puzzles on the tables while I get the class ready, I use a smiley sun stamp for completed work.
I play music during labs and keep the lights bright. During lecture notes I may have the lights lower.
During our circles there is a soft pillow that looks like an animal cell used as a talking piece.
The entire room is accessible to the students except my desk. All supplies are supplied for them.
Something I would like to add in the future when we go back to the buildings are more works from the students on what makes a safe classroom for them, maybe they create a drawing or a piece of art that represents safety. However, this can be a little tricky since I share a classroom.

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I try to makes sure that my kids can stay kids as long as they want. Upon coming into the classroom there are lots of soft, squishy, stuffed animals for them to say say hi to. The children all have self portraits so that someone can easily see the diversity of my class and so that students' images and voice are honored. The classroom colors are warm and their are a variety of spaces to work from. Students can work on the carpet, in a tent to have privacy (There is a mesh for safety) or in the back with a small group.  I try to mix seats up as much as possible and again, makes sure that where they sit is flexible and that they have some autonomy over it.

I think that in the future I would like to improve my class by highlighting books (I know someone else already suggested that) so that kids may have a hook into reading. I would also like to create a seating that was one large circle or conference area so that all kids can see each other.

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The first activity we do each year is set up the room. Students must work together to discuss strategies and styles that work for them, and they must also be willing to try and understand new perspectives and approaches as well. It's one of my favorite community building moments of the year.

The room is large with warm brown tables, chairs, and a big carpet with pastel squares on it. Looking around, you see anchor charts and tools: word wall, calendar, 100's chart, and more. The daily schedule is posted in large print with pictures. Voice levels are taught and designated for each activity of the day. Learning targets are clearly defined at the front of the room. Our classroom library, set up with fiction/non-fiction/genre bundles, borders the carpet so students often spread out to get cozy. Tools are set up by students, and they are accessed, maintained, and managed by the students throughout the year. Large windows allow bright light to pour in daily. Textured fabric covers bulletin boards rather than paper, providing a softer and quieter effect. Student work is hung all around the room. These works include academic assignments, but also extend to other items such as an art piece a student made during their free time. There are no brands, logos, or commercial symbols visible, and most items are natural and authentic artifacts: vintage trays, glass jars, wooden bins (I try to avoid plastic at all costs).

There are visual symbols of inclusion and and safety. One specific example is a quiet area in the room called the Peace Corner, where students may sit in a relaxing chair to take a break or check in with themselves. This is a sacred area, meant for individual use. Students in this space flip a glitter bottle and rest it on a cabinet where the teacher can see. The glitter settles in 3 minutes. While they are there, students may use a breathing ball, practice sign language, rest their eyes, and write or draw. After 3 minutes they return to the learning.
There are also signs for social-emotional regulation at the Peace Corner, including breathing strategies and faces for recognizing emotions.

Should students need to conference with the teacher about a conflict or issue that arises, students will sit at a table by the telephone (Brain Break Desk) with flowers on it, and they will complete a Think Sheet - a brainstorming activity where they answer prompts from Restorative Justice Curriculum: What happened? Why? How did you feel? Who was impacted? How did that make them feel? How can we make it right? After this sheet is completed, the teacher and student meet to talk about the information and make next steps. It's all on case-by-case basis, making this process responsive and individual to each student's background and perspective. The Brain Break desk sends the message that we will honor social justice and make space for it in our lives by practicing it and sharing it.

Additional steps I could take to improve the environment of the classroom would be to include more symbols on the communication board. This board is located outside the classroom door. Typically I post student work outside for families and students and staff to view, but putting classroom and school-wide communication alongside student work may lend itself to larger community goals. Students and families can be assured right away when they see very explicit signs directly on the door (Hate-Free Zone, All Families Welcome, etc). As far as classroom newsletters go, I ALWAYS title my newsletters with Dear families, as 'parents' alone may be excluding and 'guardians' may be othering. Family units are diverse and they work!

Teaching Tolerance (n.d.) prompts teachers to consider where they may place prominent signals. This notion let me to  ask the students to create their own signs and signals. They could discuss what ideas and symbols are important to them and the learning, and they could decide where to place these signals. The benefit of adding these signals is that the student has ownership over the space and the feelings of the room.

For while now, I have been wanting to incorporate a specific sign into the classroom. I have asked my sister to help me by writing this quote in beautiful and colorful calligraphy so I can hang it above the inside of the room door: "Keep the space predictable so the unpredictable can happen." I love this notion because it points to systems and structures, but allows for personalization and opportunity.

I have shared with fellow teachers my intentions in making the room be student centered, designed to promote and develop personal autonomy with tools and projects in the classroom. Donaldson Jr (2007) states, "Teacher leaders... are deliberate about shaping their environment in a positive, responsible way. They draw on their relationships and their strong sense of purpose to help colleagues explore, share, and improve the practices they use daily with students." I have been able to be a leader in my school with early childhood environments, and it has been rewarding to share this approach with staff. We discuss how each class has a very different group of learners, and often the systems and procedures must change to accommodate this. It means that the crayons may be set up differently this year than last year, and that's one small way to make the room unique and responsive. All these small things will compound to create a rich, culturally relevant environment.

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DESCRIBE: In the beginning of the year, I have a bulletin board that is outside my classroom that has "Welcome" written in many of the different languages that are spoken in my school. Inside my classroom, I have a bulletin board that has photos of my students and their families. My classroom library has books that are written and illustrated by authors from different cultures. Students sit in table groups that change every 4-6 weeks so students can work collaboratively. My classroom is bright and cheery with a huge window that overlooks our track. Student work is up on the walls as well as anchor charts that I create with the students. Students have a mixture of their own space (mailboxes and materials boxes) and shared space (cubbies) and tables. Students can sit anywhere on the carpet during group times.
LIST TO IMPROVE: I'd like to have a place where I highlight books by authors from different cultures. I'd also like to have students become more involved in leading more of the classroom routines.
NEW SYMBOL: I was thinking that in addition to having a symbol, it would be empowering to have a motto as well.