Building the Perfect Classroom

Walking through schools throughout the land one sees names kindly beautifully handwritten name tags painstakingly placed on desk after desk, bulletin boards identifying roles for children in the classrooms, signs for star of the week, word walls ready to gain their first nouns, reading corners carved out with familiar childhood stuffed animals, pillows, and well organized books. For many hours, teachers have spent preparing at home and at school for these days, the beginning of a new school year. In homes across the land, clothes have been laid out, bags packed, lunches made. School is here, but are we ready for it?
In his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Stephen R. Covey indicates that we need to "begin with the end in mind." It is in these first days, we as district leadership, building principals, teachers, teachers' assistants, and students carve out our vision for what we want our year to be like. It is at this time, in our rush to complete all those little details, we often mistake the forest for the trees. For years, advocates for student ownership of the learning environment have encouraged teachers to have children participate in setting the rules for their classroom. Guess what, the kids are on to us. They realize that this is a token gesture and not an application of true co-ownership of the learning experience. The reality is, if we desire to create innovative student-owned classroom environments, we must give up our image of starting with the perfect classroom and engage our children in meaningful dialogue about our collaborative workplace.
Every action we do as leaders, district, building, or classroom sends a message and sets a tone. If we hand our students or staff the theme for our classroom, our building, or our district, the only one who owns it is the leaders. If we talk with our constituents, whether students, staff, or principals, and co-create our theme, then it is ours together. The same is true with the classroom design. If we hand the children the design, it is something done to them. If we ask them "What needs to go into a classroom that promotes learning for all?" and they brainstorm the design, its owned by both teacher and student. Furthermore, if later in the year collaboratively you and the children change it, the ownership reaches an even higher level.
Each of us at times has perfectionist tendencies. Each of us wants the year to start our on just the perfect note. Each of us wants the cultivate the feeling that we care for each child, teacher assistant, teacher, and principal. However, if we truly do care, we involve them in co-creating the environment we will work, share, and learn together.