First Steps: Fidget Toys! #Monkey

My New Friend!

My first steps in creating my flexible learning space has been to rearrange my desks and to introduce some fidget toys to my classroom. I have a couple tables and chairs waiting to be brought in but we have fidgets for now!

My coworker and I decided to put 50$ of our remaining budget to invest in some fidget toys. We got bendable animals, squishy balls, and mesh toys with marbles inside (Go to Amazon and type in fidget toys, they will pop up!).

Here's the run down....

1. The Squish Balls are the first to get taken.
2. Some break easy (We bought three different kinds)
3. I like the animals and they are probably the most durable.
4. The mesh toys with the marble don't have many other uses therefor they are great but some students think they are performing magic when they "accidentally" get the marbles out. 

Along with the toys I have arranged my desks in semi-circles with the intention of increasing the collaboration and discussion that goes along with their assignments. Today in my American History class I grouped students by how far along they were on their assignments so if they had questions or needed help they had someone right there. 

Being that it is April I think it is much easier to implement these procedures now vs in the beginning of the year because the students know and understand what my expectations are and what the consequences will be. While I am continually working on increasing student engagement through personalized learning I also strongly believe that Flexible Learning has a place within that paradigm. 

Flexible Learning: Funky Science Lab

This blog post about a Funky Science Lab is my inspiration in creating a flexible learning space within my own classroom. 

Name: Kisaundra Harris (@curriculumgeek)

Job Title: 11th and 12th Anatomy & Physiology Teacher

School Location: Amarillo, Texas

*** Today's Thought...

What if students were able to take standardized tests in a flexible learning environment???