Shifting the Classroom
The Creature in the Classroom
BY JACK PRELUTSKY
It appeared inside our classroom
at a quarter after ten,
it gobbled up the blackboard,
three erasers and a pen.
It gobbled teacher’s apple
and it bopped her with the core.
“How dare you!” she responded.
“You must leave us . . . there’s the door.”
The Creature didn’t listen but described an arabesque as it gobbled all her pencils, seven notebooks and her desk.
Teacher stated very calmly, “Sir! You simply cannot stay,
I’ll report you to the principal
unless you go away!”
But the thing continued eating,
it ate paper, swallowed ink,
as it gobbled up our homework
I believe I saw it wink.
Teacher finally lost her temper.
“OUT!” she shouted at the creature.
The creature hopped beside her
and GLOPP . . . it gobbled teacher.
When I think about how much education has been transformed in the last decade, I find this poem a bit ironic and have to wonder if the poet knew what was in store for today’s classroom when he wrote that. Did he know how technology would “gobble” up paper and ink–even to some extent the teacher?
However, there’s no doubt that our classrooms have become more student-orientated rather than teacher-centered. And I was reminded lately during an IB webinar, Creating Inspiring Places, that our classrooms need to be designed for learning rather than merely being decorated. With that in mind, I loved this infographic that I snagged from the presentation.
While looking at this, I asked myself what do I do well and what do I need to work on more this year in my own classroom? I’m feeling lucky that I have a long holiday week nearing the corner so I can sit down and take this all in more so. And what can I share with teachers? What would inspire their learning spaces?-What needs to be “gobbled up” in our school so that our “creatures” get the best education that they deserve? Hmm…
What about you?–What do you think needs to be “gobbled up” in your classroom?
