The evidence could be photos of suspects, tangible
evidence such as insects which can help investigators narrow down a location,
and other sources of evidence that inform the investigators work. The wall space is only filled with
information pertinent to the investigation, not inessential information. As
teachers we have the opportunity to use our wall space as a canvas for the work
that we do with our students. The canvas
can become a work of art that is developed collaboratively between the teacher
and the students which can change and improve learning. I think about classroom wall space in three tiers.
I should
note that we need to consider local fire codes :). Tier 1 wall
space should cover about 75% of the wall space that can be legally used.
These items should be created collaboratively with the students to
inform their learning. For example, a
word wall is a Tier 1 item if the words are used interactively with the
students. Betsy Rupp Fulwiler, Writing
in Science 2007, tells us that “students must learn science vocabulary
after they have had a concrete experience.”
Students need to experience the words that are on the word walls instead of a teacher just posting words before an experience has happened with that word. Another valuable tier 1 item is the anchor chart. Anchor charts are great and free too! They
are essentially posters created with the students that display information in
the form of words, representations, or in numbers, depending on the content
area. A great example of an anchor
chart would be showing all the ways to multiply numbers. As you develop a multiplication strategy with students, the
teacher and students add it to the poster so students can reference it is a
model. As students become more
proficient with a strategy they will not need to reference it as much but it is
still accessible for the learner who is not as strong in that strategy. Tier 1 wall space is constantly adjusted as
you move through curriculum because it acknowledges current learning.
Tier 2
wall space should cover about 10-15% of the classroom walls. These items are essentials but are not
necessarily created with the students. They
can be referred to year round. Examples
would multiplication table posters, the number line, the alphabet, or rules/ expectations. Another example could be a poster of school
wide initiatives such as ways to respond to reading questions. For example, at CMS teachers have posters of the
reading strategy, INSERT displayed for students to refer to for
comprehension.
Finally,
a way for teachers to save money would be to limit their Tier 3 wall space. These items are typically purchased at an educational
store. They are visually appealing and
often represent themes of learning in a classroom.
Questions to think about regarding Tier 3 wall space items would be, do
students take ownership of these wall space resources and use them to strengthen
their learning? How many times are they
looking away from their desks or from their group work referring to these items
to inform their learning?
The "classroom walls" could be technology that changes your teaching if used appropriately. I hope this entry will inspire your classroom environment.
