Setting up your classroom for a productive new year

Setting up your classroom can be daunting and fun. The thrill of decorating and creating a stimulating learning space is all new teachers can think about (and a lot of not-so-new teachers as well!) but how do you make sure it is not OVER stimulating?

I've been in some classrooms that have been Pinterested-to-death. Every idea, every thought the teacher has seen has been stuffed into that classroom. I even saw a classroom with flashing fairy lights around the board! Classroom decor should enhance the classroom, keep it feeling homely but should not over stimulate the students. This will allow students the space to think... and we want them to think, not be told what to think all the time.

My personal rule for classroom decor is:

• keep it simple
• keep it purposeful
• keep 50% or more of the wall space for student work

Here is a snapshot of my classroom and the resources I use (shown below).

Student Name Plates (a MUST for the first day)

Growth Mindset Posters

Classroom Rules

Teacher Tool Box Organiser

Teacher Subject Folders

Student Subject Covers

Days of the Week/Month

Class Schedule Cards

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Keep fonts bold, big and easy to read. That running writing font across the top of the whiteboard might look pretty in a show home but in a classroom it can be a huge distraction as students try to figure out what it actually says! I do love a bit of cursive though, but use sparingly in early grade classrooms. Overwhelming fonts and colours can also be a big distraction. Pick a colour scheme and try to stick to two or three colours. This will bring your classroom together in a calming way but keep things fun! 

Watch your hanging space. Some students, especially those with attention or sensory issues, can find flapping paper very distracting, even upsetting. I've found using my hanging space only for seasonal celebrations, as the wonderful mrsc_in_year3 has done for Australia Day (below), is a good way to display student work. Once the season is over, pull it down and give students a break from hanging material. When you DO put some more up, it will be far more engaging and exciting for students if it isn't done too regularly. 

KEEP IT PURPOSEFUL

That alphabet chart across the top of the whiteboard...see how pretty it is? Why is it there? Unless you're referring to it throughout the day, then it's just another distraction. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE some pretty alphabet posters, but use them wisely. We're aiming for minimal distraction. 

Word walls are a great idea, but do not put every word on them at the start of the year, otherwise they are pointless. As you come to one of those words, then purposefully place that word on the word wall, this way students will make a connection to the context of that word, and be able to refer back to the wall for spelling and contextual clues. 

Rules. They are one absolute MUST of any classroom, but where do you place them? I've personally found that they are of most use at locations of, shall we say, conflict. So the 'no running' poster sits near the door, so they can read it on the way out to break as a rule reminder. The 'whole body listening' poster work will near the whiteboard as a rule reminder. Be strategic. For more on setting up classroom rules click here.

KEEP 50% OR MORE OF THE WALL SPACE FOR STUDENT WORK

At the start of every year I see teachers falling into the trap of covering their walls with beautiful artwork they have made themselves. To students, this tells them that a) their work couldn't possibly compare to the perfection of your work and b) it's not their classroom - it's your classroom. 

Students need to feel ownership of their space at the start of the year and refresh that work on the walls throughout the year. The space is theirs, not yours. When students have ownership of classroom space they are more compelled (I've found from my own experience) to take better care of it.  Classroom Jobs also help students to feel a sense of ownership.

What do you think? Does your school have a 'less-is-more' approach to decorating your classroom? I'd love to know in the comments. 

Teaching Aboriginal Country and Place

The Australian Curriculum (ACARA) tells primary teachers that they must teach children about Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples history and culture.

In Foundation Year ACARA expects teachers to explain the concepts of Country and Place to 4 and 5 year old children. However, most non-indigenous teachers are struggling with these concepts themselves!

So what do you do? How do you teach something so complex to little learners whilst still meeting the ACARA objectives?

Let me run you through the basics...

TERMINOLOGY

I have worked with many Aboriginal elders in my time as a teacher and researcher for the government and most tell me they do not have any particular issue with the term Aboriginal. The term actually means "inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists" so Aboriginal can refer to Native Americans and to Australian Aboriginals.

The term 'indigenous' is no longer acceptable to use when referring to Aboriginal peoples.

It is important to always say Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples as these two groups are very distinct from one another. You can read more about this here.

WHAT IS COUNTRY?

The reason why it is so difficult to define an Aboriginal person as 'an Aboriginal' is because most Aboriginal peoples identify themselves with the tribe or part of Australia their family ancestry stems from. For example, a person might refer to themselves as a "Yuggera woman" or say "I'm a Simpson of Gamilaraay Country".  Belonging to Country (always with a capital C) is important to Aboriginal peoples. You will find a fantastic map outlining all the tribes around Australia here (it's important to note these boundary lines often change with changes to Native Title claims). Always seek clarification from your Aboriginal elder.

This may all feel like semantics but what we are teaching children is that it is important to be culturally aware.

WHAT IS PLACE?

The meaning of 'Place' is far more complicated than just naming a place you might visit or live in. To Aboriginal peoples 'Place' means to have a spiritual, physical, social and cultural connection to the land. Aboriginal connection to the land is through every animal, tree, mountain, river and rock, it is a constant place of learning. Aboriginal people consider themselves custodians of the land, not owners as such. Click this link to watch a wonderful video of an Aboriginal elder discussing the concept that the '... land owns us" rather than 'we own the land'.

So why discuss Country and Place with young students?

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) aims to build a student's understanding of Australian history through the exploration of its first peoples. By the time a Foundation Year student reaches upper primary they have the groundwork complete on the importance of Country and Place to Aboriginal peoples.

HOW DO YOU TEACH THESE CONCEPTS TO FOUNDATION YEAR STUDENTS?

The same way you teach all of their other subjects - by keeping it fun and engaging!

It is crucially important to get advice from your local Aboriginal elder or Torres Strait Islander elder. They will be able to tell you which tribe has native title to the land your school is located on (most schools already have a strong connection with their local elder). Invite the elder to your school or contact the local authority within your area to get confirmation of:

• who has native title in your area?
• which languages are spoken in your area? (some areas cross over boundaries of tribes or languages)
• what the local sites of historical importance are?
• what is the local history of your area?

You will find a wealth of information on this at this website. 

You'll also find teaching materials shown in this post within the Foundation Year Geography pack.