In my new DIY Eduversity life this year, I’ll be working with students in four different physical spaces. Two of those spaces require that I bring the classroom to the children. ((Afternoons will be student-directed, and they are on their own! I’ll provide the library card, internet acces, a bin, and moral support… not in charge of fly tying kits or war books or nature experiments.))
I should rephrase that, because I’d like to leave the word classroom and all of it’s connotations out of the picture. I need to bring rich, functional, adjustable learning supplies to students in order to meet personal learning goals as needed. Every item needs to be multi-functional and student determined.
I talked it over with several of my students (and yes, they are also my children), and asked if they would prefer to bring a backpack with their personal supplies or have them in a set place that I provide. Surprisingly, they preferred the latter.
I do too, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. ((Something about student personal responsibility and also about teacher control of the space is bugging me… not sure what exactly.))
My current thought is to purchase two storage trunks with wheels- one for Daily 5 Literacy plus tech and soft furnishings, and another for Daily 5 Math plus games and manipulatives. I’d rather have one, but I don’t think I can fit 8 student bins for math and for literacy in one bin, along with the other paraphernalia ((First time I’ve noticed that there was a ‘r’ in that word… para-fern-a-lia? I’ve always said/thought/read ‘fen’.)) I want to have available.
Locker 1 (Literacy):
- Student bins w/ choice books, notebook, grammar workbook
- iPod Touch (2?) w/audiobooks, ebooks, dictionary, apps like Boggle & Chicktionary
- Laptops (2)
- Multi-functional games (Bananagrams tiles, word magnet sets)
- Personalized lap desks with magnetic & dry erase paint on one side
- Soft furnishings- pop-up cube to read in, floor pillows (bungee to outside as needed)
- Art supplies- scissors, watercolor pencils, paintbrushes, mechanical pencils, mini playdough containers, wikistix
Locker 2 (Math):
- Student bins w/ math textbook
- Multi-function manipulatives (counters/game pieces, dice, pattern blocks, card decks)
- Binders with math games in page protectors
- Dry erase markers
- Therabands and hand squishy balls
- Science supplies as needed
Right now, I’m tweaking a “Mobile Learning” board on Pintrest. Help me adjust this concept and make it work for my 8 students. What would you add to this list? What would you take away? Would you head in a different direction entirely?
