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Last year, all the interventionists and I (reading and math) shared a classroom. We were in the last room down the primary hallway, so many people didn't venture down to see us. The students LOVED that room, with it's bookshelves for dividers, puffy pillows on the floor and some days (gasp!) we used the SMART board.
This year, our kindergarten population POPPED and our intervention team (including me!) moved all the stuff (not the pillows) to our former-computer-lab-then-STEM-lab-now-open-room in the middle of the library media center. We set up the middle tables as "mission control" - a workspace for each of us, facing each other. We designated the outside tables as "visitor parking" for our OT, PT, math coach, orchestra teacher and band teacher. The now-open-room is now called ...
The LIT lab.
Now don't stress about our math interventionist. She's a big reader, too, and LIT lab sounds way cooler than the calculation lab or the equation lab. See what I mean?
This year has been a challenge as we are all traveling on carts. The math and dual language interventionists went with push-down-the-hall, two-shelf carts. I ordered a rolling crate on Amazon. When it's nearing 8:10 and it's time to head to the classrooms we work in (thank you to all who host us!), we roll three across the hallway to our destinations.
The LIT lab is a place of safety. We can close the door and talk openly. There are rarely students in the LIT lab ... only for one-on-one testing or OT time, if needed. It's a purely grown-up space for stuff and us.
Have you heard the song from Moana, "You're Welcome!" sung by Dwayne Johnson? It's become the unofficial song of the LIT lab. We are a pretty accommodating bunch (especially if you ask us!) and we do our best to help out classroom teachers, the library staff (who buys us chocolate!) and each other. When we express gratitude to each other, it's almost always in song.
As much as I hated the idea of pushing in to classrooms (I am a LOUD teacher), it's working. I bring my bookshelf to my students every couple of weeks, or I drag a box of graphic novels with me. I'm forced to stay organized and on top of my materials because my cart is very small.
The LIT lab gives us a place to let out a bit of stress steam, and has made our relationships stronger on the intervention team. You're welcome!
From: https://youtu.be/79DijItQXMM
It was joy to read this post! Isn't it wonderful when you get to work with such wonderful people!
ReplyDeleteThe LIT Lab sounds like a wonderful, safe place to collaborate with colleagues. How lucky you are to work with other like-minded educators!
ReplyDeleteThe LIT lab sounds like a really happy place! Like you, I have a hard time pushing in because I tend to be loud, but also like you, I generally can make it work.
ReplyDelete