- All the furniture, desks and chairs, do not have to be the same. A tiered (tall in the back, regular in the front) will increase comfort, accessibility and engagement for the students. (Saw ex. at Bloomfield Hills)
- Giving the students opportunity to move around, even a little, cuts down on the off-task behaviors.
- It's important to listen to the students; once you get them started they can really give you great insights.
- Classroom environment is way more important to the students being better engaged in the learning process than I ever imagined. (I seriously had no idea!)
- Treating the students with respect and high (reasonable) expectations, while allowing them more choice and freedom, might seem scary, but the students I saw at both Novi Elementary 4th grade and in the Bloomfield High School moved around in the classroom and halls with respect for their environment and classmates (and teachers) and did not seem to be as off-task as one might expect.
Novi 4th grade classroom.
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