School is officially back in session, so how does your child's classroom look?  When you walk into your child's classroom, have you noticed some things that may not be right? Does everything seem to be normal? What exactly are we looking for in our child's classroom that would indicate a great environment from a not-so-good one?

Today on the Top 5 at 7:45, I'll highlight what to look for in a classroom that will, hopefully, make for a great learning environment.

  1. The Teacher: Are the clean and orderly or are the grubby and unclean? A teacher's deportment and hygiene say a lot about how they will approach their class and the teaching of your child.
  2. The Classroom Library: Knowing that the children in your child's class may be at different reading levels, are their enough books in the library and are they for different reading levels?
  3. Organization: Are the desks, chairs and cabinets in disarray? Or are they orderly? You can get into the mind of the teacher by the appearance of the classroom. Plus, a scattered classroom is a terrible learning environment.
  4. Stocked Materials: There should be known areas in the classroom that contain materials for the children's consumption. Things like: scrap paper, scissors, glue, and crayons.
  5. Creative Classroom: Are all the decorations "store bought?" Or are there places on the wall for children's art and projects? When I walk into a classroom, I like to see projects that the children in the classroom are doing. Store bought materials are great for teaching children, but we parents like to see what the kids are doing too.

The Top 5 at 7:45 airs weekdays with me, Gary Freeman, and brought to you by First Education Federal Credit Union.

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