Koromiko Class 2014

The challenge was asked...little did I realise how it would turn my organisational genius into creative madness!

The question was based around ...if you could adapt or change our classroom into anything you wanted to, what would you do and why?

We wanted to evolve like our junior counter part in our school and their modern learning environment.  But what was more exciting was after watching life on an international space station, we thought wouldn't it be neat to have learning hubs?  Soon talk was thrown about regarding the recent news item different spaces for different learning and thinking that was recently on close up.  We soon realised that with a science open afternoon as and classes coming through, that it would provide us the audience we required to make our learning environment new and unique.  

This was our learning environment prior to re shuffling.

NOW...

A couple of the boys even created space windows to look out at Earth...so to speak.

Here are some examples of children working in the pods...

And then came open afternoon where our Mandala clocks, games, inquiry's experiments and MI tasks were shared.

Well we finally did it!  Our new favourite song by the Madden Brothers “we are done”, gives us an amazing sense of self satisfaction, that not only did we do this, but we created something from nothing, by collaborating and integrating everyone’s idea!  And then we got to share it with our peers, other classes and parents on open afternoon.   The wonderment and awe in learning has been reignited. 

By no means is this the end.  Just the beginning, as we renegotiate and re define our classroom expectations and the habits and to do what we normally do, but with a more successful ethic in mind.
Challenges included, health and safety regulations, and the ability to be flexible when learning in groups or Pod areas.  Re organisation of resources, such as children’s books, pencil cases, learning journals, folders, learning resources….?  And as for me....I couldn't find anything as everything was hidden behind black polythene!!!  I coped though,...until more reflection in the holidays!