I read this blog post from the Washington Post this morning entitled Smart design + school = health. It described beautifully why atmosphere is important in the classroom. The final quote stood out to me:
“We really focused on what kids need. What I see in that space are kids gravitating to that atmosphere because they know it’s for them, about them. Everything is tailored to their needs.”
Dina Sorensen, project designer, VMDO Architects
Do you remember all that writing we did in school? I would like to have thought they were bestselling papers. That thought inspired this bestselling report cartoon.
It would have been nice if that third-grade report on bees and honey made it on the New York Times Best Sellers list. But I feel it is best that the report is buried deep in a landfill.
When you are a teacher, you soon learn kids love to use you as playground equipment. It’s especially true in preschool classes. One day, my son was in a class and a kid wanted to hang from his arms. So that inspired this tall teacher cartoon.
I drew this for Illustration Friday in 2012. That week’s word was “tall.” When I read it, I thought of times when my son has volunteered to teach. He’s a tall guy, and some of the small kids love for him to hold out his arm as they swing from it. The kids love a tall, strong, gentle guy. And who doesn’t love the monkey bars?
When you work with kids, you know it’s going well when the janitor gets to deal with some mopped-up fun. That idea inspired this cartoon.
When I am leading large group activities on a Sunday morning, I smile when I realize the game is going to require blue tarps on the floor. I know the kids will get excited and the morning will be memorable. Bring on the rain ponchos, goggles, and a mop!
Being quiet has its advantages. When we slow down and listen to others, we can be perceived as knowledgeable without saying a word. This concept and a proverb led to this wisdom and talking cartoon.
There are several Bible verses that speak about this. But for me, James 1:19 has helped me greatly over the years. If only it was easy to apply to everyday living! Social and traditional media encourages us to spout off whatever comes to mind. After all, a blog with no content isn’t very compelling, is it?