My 21st Century Classroom

MY 21st century classroom.. the word "my" was an eye opener. With the hustle and bustle of working, kids, and school, I hadn't thought this deep. So this project was fun for me. It was time to sit down and dream. With cost not being considered, the sky's the limit.

I will be teaching middle level science and social studies. Middle level includes 4th through 8th grade. There lies my only dilemma. Depending on whether it's elementary school OR middle school makes a world of difference in the type of classroom I will get. This is such an important and ever changing time for children, and there tastes are changing just as fast. I found this article very informative on this issue!

COLOR!

My color theme will be blue, green, and brown. The research I found indicates that the following attributes to these colors:

Blue - It's the most calming color, and causes the brain to release 11 neurotransmitters.
Green - Also a calming color, it increases blood histamine levels resulting in reduced sensitivity to food allergies; antigens stimulated for overall better immune system healing.
Brown - Gives a sense of security, relaxation, & reduces fatigue.

Here are a few pictures that I like.

PLANTS!

This same research also praises the idea of having plants in the classroom, which I've always wanted. Here is what they had to say;

Plants increase O2 levels by 10 %. o Typical classroom needs 4 – 8 plants. o Good plants are areca palms, lady palms, bamboo palms, rubber plants, gerbera daisies, yellow chrysanthemums, ficus benjamina, philodendrons, dracena deremensis, and peace lilies.

ARRANGEMENT!

My class will be arranged to fit many different learning styles. I'll have group seating at the main learning area, which is the front of the room by the Interactive White Board. On my diagram, it's listed as "projector". I'll also have other seating areas for children to work either alone or in groups. My diagram shows several areas with couches and beanbags. There is also a smaller table for any child that may want to work alone, or one on one with me or a peer. This research was very helpful! Here is the diagram:

My Classroom!

Organization and routine will hopefully work well. The door will be where the coat stands are in the upper right corner. So when children come in, they hang up their belongings, and grab what supplies they'll need out of the storage cabinets. We will have our routine and schedule posted on a bulletin board near the door as well.

TECHNOLOGY!

Now, on to the fun part.. TECHNOLOGY! Since cost is of no concern, my room will have a combination of laptops and iPads for each child. They won't be in use at all times, but they will be there. These will be used during interactive lessons, for research, and any other time they are needed. 

Our class will be a connected classroom. My dream is to have a "pen class" from somewhere very different. I hope to do weekly or biweekly Skype casts with our pen class, and we'll share a webpage that the children can message each other on. It's extremely important in this day and age to show the children different cultures, and encourage interaction. This will begin my students journey towards their own Community of Practice!

For our parents and children we will have a classroom Facebook page. This is where they can reach me at any time by posts or messages. I will update the page daily with any assignments or class news. This video shows how easy it is to set up. Through this Facebook page will also be a link to a separate Facebook page for our "pen class" friends and families.

I've left plenty of open space for easy accessibility for any accommodating students with disabilities as well. 

Here are some pictures of items I would LOVE to incorporate into my classroom as well!!

PETS!

Research also shows that having classroom pets teaches children responsibility. I hope that by having pets, it also gives the children a sense of belong, almost of family. Here are some fun options:

I hope you enjoyed checking out my future classroom as much as I enjoyed dreaming it up!