The document discusses how to design a classroom space to foster creativity and student success. It suggests arranging the classroom according to feng shui principles like keeping the entryway clear, placing desks in the "command position" facing the door, and incorporating natural elements. Specific tips include grouping similar items together, adding plants and artwork, using inviting colors, and providing different seating options and work spaces to encourage flow and engagement.

1. Designing your Classroom Creativity is a stepping stone to functional, working art classrooms. Often our classrooms inhibit our creativity. How can we use placement of items in the room to instill creativity and to activate learners in the art room? Can our rooms without windows become mind expansion tools for young artists? What does clutter mean for you? How does an art room become a quality vehicle for success? Can feng shui play any role in this planning? Do you feel creative in your work space? Come discover some ways to inspire young artists to feel more creative in your classroom. Is your art room a vehicle for student success? Come imagine how space and objects arranged with simple feng shui ideas and creative play could enhance your classroom. Michelle L HansenDaberkow

2. Designing your Classroom How to make your classroom Organized, Calm and Creative. 2

3. Designing your Classroom http://classroom.4teachers.org http://teacher.scholastic.com/tools/class_setup/ http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/RoomPlanning/ActivityAreas/index.html http://www.thecrabbynookgarden.com/HOMEOFFICEFENGSHUI.html Some places to “google:” *classroom design *office design *art room design. 3

4. Designing your Classroom Little bit about me: I am a K-5 art teacher in Lincoln, NE Public Schools. I taught K-12 art for 6 years in two small towns in Northeast Nebraska. I am currently in my 13 th year of teaching K-5 art in Lincoln, NE. I like adventuring into new ideas to bring into the art room, and I was asked to present a half hour on “designing” a summer school art room. I presented a general classroom design(not art specific) session to Bright Lights teachers in Lincoln, NE.. Teachers have tested out some of these slight changes in their math and science rooms, in their home environments (play rooms). They love some of the outcomes.

5. Designing your Classroom The entry to the classroom should be unobstructed, leaving a clear path for chi to flow. Obstructions to the path, says feng shui consultant Deborah Gee, "create tension and stress with the students and the teacher.” Don’t obstruct the doorway. Keep supplies, still life items, books, and other items out of walkways. Keeping the entrance way clear will allow positive energy, or chi, to flow freely in and out of the room, unconstrained. You will be able to improve your mood as soon as you enter the room since your eyes won’t immediately jump to the clutter and disorganization and you won’t be tripping over chairs and the art projects from last month. 5

6. Designing your Classroom Classroom Feng Shui Fundamentals Here are a few basic principles of feng shui as they apply to classrooms: Both teacher and student desks should be in what feng shui considers the "command position," facing the entry of the classroom to absorb chi as it enters the room. What is CHI? "chi" or "qi" is the invisible life force or vital energy that flows through all living things. It is thought to be inherited and also derived from food and air. Don’t lose sight of the door. Make sure all of your chairs and benches are situated so that anyone sitting will always be able to see the door. Having a way out and keeping track of who or what comes in is a traditional measure of good Feng Shui.

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10. Designing your Classroom Teacher Center

11. Designing your Classroom Bookshelves should be placed in the far left corner of the classroom, from the perspective of the front door. According to feng shui principles, this area encourages learning and critical thinking. Sketchbook center, Two tables of a bench with four Spaces for students to research Red rectangle is the door, exit and entrance.

12. Designing your Classroom Avoid sharp-cornered objects . Sharp-cornered objects are not only potentially harmful, they are also believed to obstruct the pathway of chi. Your desk will most likely have sharp corners, but as long as you are not sitting where they point directly at you, the chi will still be able to flow around you easily. If it doesn’t have a function, you don’t need it. If your extra table doesn’t hold a lamp or represent any of the key elements, you probably don’t need it.

13. Designing your Classroom Clutter brings down your personal energy and negatively affects the flow of chi in your home — the chi stagnates around the clutter and cannot move freely or bring fortunate blessings into your space and life. Also, keeping things you don’t love or use brings down your energy and doesn’t allow room for new experiences, people, or situations to come into your life. What is clutter for you? Perhaps something that needs to be removed from the classroom. If it is a poster you feel you can’t live without, maybe taking it down and placing it up when you speak about it could give it more importance. If it is a box, you could cover it with a piece of fabric. http://www.organization-makes-sense.com/clearing_clutter.html

14. Designing your Classroom Make sure your furniture represents the elements. You obviously won’t be able to have a desk made of fire, but try to incorporate the wood and metal elements into your furniture constitutions as much as possible. Most of your furniture will undoubtedly be made of wood, but see if you can find an end table made of aluminum or one that features a metallic finish. Give yourself a choice of places to sit. If you limit yourself to the one desk chair you use while on the computer, you’ll end up feeling cramped and panicky. Rearrange furniture frequently. Shifting your furniture frequently will maintain a healthy level of energy. You will subconsciously notice the changes, keeping you alert. Try moving the desk a few inches closer to the window or switching the placement of two chairs. It may not seem like a big change aesthetically, but you’ll be able to feel the results instantly.

15. Designing your Classroom Bright greens and blues encourage learning and development , particularly in younger students. Older students will benefit from darker colors, such as brown and black, which encourage wisdom and deep thinking. Blue is a soothing color and is best used in the East and Southeast areas of the room. Green “is considered to be a color of freshness, growth, and peace,”

16. Designing your Classroom Windowless classrooms lead to stagnant energy and stagnant minds. A painting or a scene of nature creates a sense of bringing outdoors in and has a very strong life-energy force. Plants can have a similar effect. -- AS Leave at least 3 feet between furniture. A standard Feng Shui tip for arranging your furniture is to leave at least 3 feet between all the pieces in the room. For instance, leave 3 feet between your desk and the computer chair when unoccupied.

17. Designing your Classroom The bagua, a divided aerial drawing of a room, provides first-time Feng Shui decorators with a simple how-to guide, The bottom of the diagram represents the room’s entrance. (Source: fengshuiforus.com) Classroom assistant location Meet & Greet entrance Book Center, Research

18. Designing your Classroom • Bring nature into your space. Live plants are a symbol of abundance, harmony and healing and caring for them will represent how you treat yourself. • Add color . Influence your mood with reds and oranges to stimulate, blues and greens to calm and relax , or whites and grays to focus the mind. • Use art to uplift. Pleasing works of art or Posters of your Theme will bring positive energy. • Sounds right. Gentle background music, chimes or rippling water fountains can positively affect the space and attract good energy.

21. Designing your Classroom 3. Decide what your needs will be. Will you need a reading circle? A demonstration table? A teacher space? A supply area? A study nook? A painting or drawing center? A student teacher area for checklists? A screen for a power point presentation? A white board for the agenda of the day?

22. Designing your Classroom 4. Place like items together. If you have an art area or science area in need of water, place it near the sink or paper towels.

24. Designing your Classroom How does an art room become a quality vehicle for success? Does your space provide “thinking” space for your students? Is there a way to “unclutter” their time in your room? Are the items you need to use and share with students easy to access, but not able to create a “bottle-neck” or crowd that would slow down work time? (If using yarn for a fiber project, have 5 centers of yarn instead of only one…have a clear path to each. I try to imagine 6 students coming to each center.)

25. Designing your Classroom Is there a space where a child could hide? Eliminate it. Block off areas behind coat racks, etc. by pulling a table across the entrance… or stack your storage boxes in the entry way so that no one can get through. Safety First…Is there a clear exit for a fire drill? Can you see every child’s face at one time? (not the back of a head)

26. Designing your Classroom How inviting is your space for your assistants? Can they present information for you in a calm, encouraging environment? Summer school situation… Bright Lights, a nonprofit school for three weeks using Lincoln public school settings across the city.

27. Designing your Classroom How easily can your presenters meet with your small group? Michelle L HansenDaberkow mdaberk @ lps.org Summer class: Bright Lights scientific illustration “Drawing Nebraska native plants and animals” 3-4 th graders 14-18 students.

28. Designing your Classroom Adding research to your space. Students could research the walls. This makes the room feel like an exploratory space. It feels fun, and inviting. Nature Illustration Class: Lana Johnson- Michelle Hansen Daberkow

29. Designing your Classroom The presenters could meet on the pond center.

30. Designing your Classroom A pond center created with a large blue tarp, and crocodiles cut out of green carpet. Another center for games was a table cloth with pieces of felt cut in the shapes of lily pads…as we read about frogs and Monet’s lily pond.

31. Designing your Classroom A white board at the front of the room ready for notes. And, a frog stuffed animal area to go to after snack time as a brain break. (Sensory Station K-1 st grade)

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33. Designing your Classroom Special presentation space blocking some windows to the hallway…to stop interruptions. And this space is great to show off our art on Friday. Parents could walk beside it and file through to view their work. A boring board quickly goes “under water” with a clear, blue shower curtain.

34. Designing your Classroom Another center could be a book center, An art small group area… Tubs of water for experiments, Tubs of bark, leaves, and other items to build garden homes for frogs…etc. We also had insect lights as FROGS eat insects… Frog games, frog CD’s created by frog experts… Etc. Go WILD with your theme. Have fun!

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38. Designing your Classroom Some items to bring : a fan, a lamp, other fun lighting, Extension Cords for these, and perhaps a fake plant. More items: about 6 shower curtains to cover non used bookshelf units and bulletin boards. (Or use plastic table covers) Table cloths work, carpet squares for meeting areas… More items: themed umbrellas to place between two book shelves…