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Mrs. Medina's Classroom Edit display name

  • PS 71 Rose E Scala
  • Bronx, NY
  • More than half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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Changing the classroom learning environment is driven by my philosophy regarding how to thoroughly address my 7th-grade students with special needs and how they learn best. Last year when I decided to move my students' desks from row seating to sitting in an oval, conference style, I was motivated to do so after observing the way my students learned and analyzing how I could best support them in that learning. In groups, we'd take turns sitting at a round table to read and discuss books together. When they sat in rows they would slouch, put their heads down and many would not participate. However, once we moved to the round tables or sitting in an oval without desks but on standard wooden seats, most were more comfortable sitting on the floor than on the wooden chairs. They asked if we could get some bean bag chairs or video rocking game chairs they had observed in a similar 5th-grade classroom but there was no funding available. For my students, traditional seating hindered their ability to use the classroom in the ways they needed to accomplish the learning goals I set for them as modern learners. The classroom environment should mirror what students will encounter in their future careers, and collaboration, problem-solving, and meaning-making are at the forefront of most job descriptions. Standard desks and chairs situated in rows do not foster open communication and collaboration. Before I moved the desks away, I had typically arranged them in partners or small groups to try to facilitate conversation, but traditional desks in groups didn’t foster the personalized, collaborative learning environment my students craved. My students All deserve a seat at the table!

About my class

Changing the classroom learning environment is driven by my philosophy regarding how to thoroughly address my 7th-grade students with special needs and how they learn best. Last year when I decided to move my students' desks from row seating to sitting in an oval, conference style, I was motivated to do so after observing the way my students learned and analyzing how I could best support them in that learning. In groups, we'd take turns sitting at a round table to read and discuss books together. When they sat in rows they would slouch, put their heads down and many would not participate. However, once we moved to the round tables or sitting in an oval without desks but on standard wooden seats, most were more comfortable sitting on the floor than on the wooden chairs. They asked if we could get some bean bag chairs or video rocking game chairs they had observed in a similar 5th-grade classroom but there was no funding available. For my students, traditional seating hindered their ability to use the classroom in the ways they needed to accomplish the learning goals I set for them as modern learners. The classroom environment should mirror what students will encounter in their future careers, and collaboration, problem-solving, and meaning-making are at the forefront of most job descriptions. Standard desks and chairs situated in rows do not foster open communication and collaboration. Before I moved the desks away, I had typically arranged them in partners or small groups to try to facilitate conversation, but traditional desks in groups didn’t foster the personalized, collaborative learning environment my students craved. My students All deserve a seat at the table!

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About my class

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