I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: It’s amazing how different two kids can be. My son, age 13, has always loved reading and writing and math, but quite frankly his bedroom looks like something exploded in it. By contrast, my daughter, age 8, struggles with reading, writing, and math, but her room always has great style and is relatively tidy.
Imagine my delight, then, when she spontaneously decided she wanted to redo her bedroom to look like a class room so she could play school. I give her new third grade teacher as well as the darling high school freshman who tutors her once a week credit for inspiring this latest room makeover. Of course, it involved shuffling several large furniture items around, but I happily obliged since it was, after all, for educational purposes.
I took snapshots of her new “tutor” style decor so you could see just what we’re talking about. Featured at the top, is her new tutoring desk, complete with several custom designed folders and binders. The worksheets are all custom-designed as well.
Posted above the desk for easy reference is a colorful number line as well as a word wall. My favorite word on that word wall is “blotted”. Thinking that perhaps my daughter meant instead to write “bloated”, I asked for clarification. But indeed, she meant blotted, as in ” we blotted our lipstick”. I’m also partial to “manikan”. Can you tell my daughter likes all things fashionable?
Here’s the chalkboard where, each night, my daughter writes the tutorial agenda for the next day.
And right beside it she has posted her “COZY READ-ALOUD RULES” which I find especially encouraging knowing how much she hates reading.
Make no mistake a tremendous amount of 100% natural, self-initiated learning is going on in that room, for as every good teacher/tutor knows, in order to teach well you must not only know your material but also model good reading and writing and math skills to your students.
So I say, hooray for room re-dos! And my new favorite theme? “TUTOR” style, of course.
Laura Sassi Tales 
This is awesome! Playing school is SO much fun. I think “Love read alouds” is my favorite rule! Just love them. That’s it! It’s a rule. Hilarious.
Sounds like she might be a teacher some day! I used to play school, too. But this is wonderful she’s sort of taking charge of her education.
Laura, How wonderful! And kudos to her teacher and tutor.
I loved how different my two kids were also. Why have more than one if they are not? 😉
“Playing School”- play acting our lives is what we learn to do in our minds. But our young’uns still put it out there.
Hurray for your daughter and her learning-focused room! I loved playing school when I was a kid, too. 🙂
So cute, Laura! I’ll bet you her room redo inspires more reading and studying! Good for her!
Laura, I don’t just think this is “cute.” I think this is AMAZING! The thought that went into this, the ideas and the wonderfully list-oriented, organized execution is fantastic! She may struggle a bit with reading, writing and math “on paper,” but it’s all quite apparent as talent when put to use THIS way 🙂
One little note: I’d just like to suggest emphasis on a dictionary before she actually writes words on her word wall, etc., so incorrect spellings don’t “stick” (manikin/mannikin/mannequin instead of manikan; quiet vs. quite) 🙂
Happy Learning!!!
Oh, good suggestions! And I’ve got just the perfect dictionary. Thanks so much.
And I forgot to mention how much I LOVED the little “fairy tale book” vignette on the bottom of her “Read-Aloud Rules” chart 🙂 Great stuff! I’m sure you’re sharing all our ooos and aaaahs with her 😀
Love this! I taught school for 26 years…so I have to say it again…Love this!!!!
I’m so glad, Penny. I was a teacher too and I’m so thankful for the great teachers my daughter has had (and my son too). I bet you were very dynamic and peppy in class. =)