During school, I noticed a big change in how teachers are making the change to create a more inviting feel for students. They did this in ways such as including helpful information about mental health, coping skills and peer pressure. Each student got to write something about their cultural background on a poster board and include photos of their families. These were displayed in the classroom and hallway. It made it feel like nobody was forgotten and everyone was equally as important. One classroom included a treaty flag. Structurally, they started adding more round tables rather than individual desks so that students were able to include a classmate. It was welcoming and took some of the stress off just by having someone there with you.
In my future classrooms, my ideas on my room setup will be based on the foundations of what I found positive. I want to make my students feel happy to be there and eager to learn. Your whole attitude can be changed just by your surroundings so I feel having something for everyone is very important.
