Classroom setup with lighting, mats, groups all depends on the group but find the one that works and invest in it, it’ll pay off long term. Took years of different groups, age, to figure out, letting go and being COURAGEOUS goes a long way especially intermediate → primary

Mats strategy – inattentive ones up front, behaved in the middle, those who needs to move and will not disrupt others at the back. Middle ones are preferably smaller in stature

Lights: Lamps are very calming and most of all keeps the VOLUME DOWN. Mentioned that it’s at least 2 noise level plus when ceiling lights are on. Sounds like souls getting sucked out when flipped on at the end of the day.

Strategies, kids are anxious because they are competitive and wants to catch up if not be the best despite parents not applying pressure. Notice if anyone does that and alleviate that pressure as best as we can as teachers

Teach multiple strategies and MAKE SURE to teach them to throw a strategy away if it doesn’t work for them. Ex. You guys love this strategy? Well I hate it, didn’t even want to teach it. But see, that works for you, you should use it, even though it doesn’t work for me even if you explain it to me!

Music: in sketching activity, the silence was needed in order for them to think, music on later when they started working helped elevate their productivity, also provided a cover for kids to talk quietly among each other to support peer to peer learning. Although this ended up with some pairs of sketches that looked very similar to each other.

Teacher has this strategy where she just reads on her chair in the corner and reads. It becomes a sort of magnet and kids will gravitate over if they want to, it’s calming for the end of the day instead of the hustle we have, must observe its effects!