Change

Change. For some, this is word is a nasty four-letter-word. I can understand complete as humans are creatures of habit. Is change necessary? You bet! Change is inevitable and we know it is coming. So what can we do to help our students meet those changes head-on? ¡Es obvio! We need to change our mindsets and how we teach our kiddos.

One thing to ponder: Are you teaching your students to learn? I know this sounds silly, but really, are you teaching your students to empower their learning or are you just teaching the subject? We must help our students learn how to learn.

I decided to throw out many of my "normal" routines and change everything. It was quite daunting...but so rewarding! Being part of Klein ISD's new program, Transform Academy, I had the opportunity to reflect on what I was doing and decide where I wanted my students to be based on the incredible experiences in Transform Academy.

I changed my furniture (due to generous funding by Klein ISD). Here are a few photos of my class. I am sure it will evolve many times over until we find what truly works. The desks are Ethos chairs from Haskell Furniture. I love these and saw the Steelcase version at TCEA a couple of years ago, but I love the fact that these chairs have desks that will pivot for a right-handed person or for a left-handed student. The Zynergy chairs are great for students who have trouble sitting still. I found the table at a ReStore location and finished it with a dry-erase finish. I have chairs on casters that telescope up and down and swivel around, so they have multiple uses.