The Perfect Classroom

I just read a great article titled,  Progress, not perfection: 3 tips to Your Journey, by Lisa Dabbs.  During the first year of the author's teaching year she strived to build the perfect classroom.  She even color coded her crayons, turned down social invites and spend evenings working on the perfect classroom and evenings working on the perfect lesson plans. Only to find that the kids really don't care about color coded crayons.   That lasted one whole year for the author:)  I can attest that I strived to keep my head afloat moving from 3 buildings in 3 different grades in 3 years. I learned after that first year of working non-stop and trying to unsuccessfully balance work and family that it was impossible to be perfect at anything.  As this year winds down, I am learning that comfort for the students and their families is the key.  I have received many thank you gifts, cards and e-mails all relating back to how comfortable and relaxed they and their child was while in my care.  For the past 2 years, my tables and chairs were a mishmash of leftovers from other classrooms, my carpet badly stained and the walls a dull beige paint.  But I lovingly filled the room with things to make the kids feel comfortable and at home.  I welcomed the parents with open arms into the classroom from the very first day.  Perfection is not the key, but making kids and their parents feel comfortable is the key.