Shamrock Fall 2011 - The Chandler School

Shamrock Fall 2011 9The English classrooms for all threegrades boast perhaps the mostimpressive views the campus has tooffer. Between the views, integratedtechnology opportunities and themovable furniture on wheels, Englishclasses now foster greater discussion,analysis and creativity.The Middle School English Department is enjoying the newbuilding in more ways than anticipated. Aside from theaesthetic beauty and breathtaking views, the new buildingallows for more functional use of space. The new audio-visualequipment is easy to use, and allows for more multimedialessons, including interactive grammar tools, online writingtutors and research workshops.Seventh grade English teacher Ashley Laird enjoysusing the online source Britannica Workspaces for herintroduction to Edgar Allan Poe. The arroyo views fromevery classroom are soothing and uplifting, and subtlyhelp students and teachers with expression and creativity,especially in writing and poetry.The S. Allan Johnson and Marguerite L. JohnsonLibrary and Resource Center and the technology officeare close to the English classrooms, making resourcesand personnel readily available as needed for help withprograms and projects. The larger classrooms havemore flexible space, with more room for reading corners,student writing and project display areas, and classroomlibraries. For example, eighth grade English teacher DonnaDretzka completed her Lord of the Flies novel unit witha mini island display area that brought the themes to lifefor the students. I use my space to create performance“stages” for grammar songs, poems and raps. Themovable student tables also add flexibility in setting upstudent groups for discussions and partner work.finally, with each Middle School teacher having their ownclassroom and the departments now having similar schedules,the English teachers are able to meet in one space, at the sametime, to collaborate on developing and advancing the Englishprogram.By Sarah Newhall, sixth grade English