Setting the Stage for 2nd Grade

Hey, everyone!

Have you ever heard of Ron Clark? I just discovered him these past few months and I am so inspired by his school and his teachers. If you don't know about Ron Clark, you need to stop what you're doing and go check him out RIGHT NOW.  Thank me later. 

His school is amazing and his classrooms are amazing. I was thinking that I wanted to bring that same whimsy and fun to my own classroom, but where would I start? Then I saw it. You will find a stage in all of the classrooms at Ron Clark Academy. Teaching, after all, is a performance. I love the idea and that was the start of my plan to put a stage in my classroom. 

I started asking teachers at my school what they thought of the idea. Let me tell you, I got a lot of crazy looks! Then I talked to our wonderful reading interventionist and she got so excited. She told about her daughter and when she was a fifth grader. Her teacher had a stage in her classroom. She said that a stage just does something for kids and definitely helped to bring her daughter out of her shell. I also asked my fellow Teach Happy Members what they thought and they all said to go for it. The next day, I found myself in my principal's office and I explained to her about RCA and how I wanted a stage for my classroom and she gave me the green light.

Fast forward a week and I have a stage in my classroom! I LOVE it! Every teacher should have one! It cost me about $130 to have it made, but you can definitely make it cheaper. The materials were about $60. The paint was another $20 and then add in labor costs and delivery. The painting really added to labor because it needed two coats. The stage also opens up for extra storage and is reinforced. I love the storage for my bulletin board borders and posters that I need to lay flat! The stage is 80 inches long and it comes out three feet from the wall. It's one foot tall. I have 20 kiddos in my class and they are able to easily gather around it for story time and still have room for a few more. 

We have done lots of things on the stage already. The first thing was, of course, a play. The kids LOVE to share their work because they get to do it on the stage. My students who couldn't reach much on the SmartBoard can now easily reach things and that makes their day! I use it for reading time and for whole-group instruction. I'll jump up on the stage to make a point and giggles immediately ring out in the room. I know they're thinking about what I'm going to do next! I like to keep them on their toes! (; Next year, I plan to use it as a reward. If they are working hard, I may let them do their work on the stage for a day. I also want my students to use it for buddy reading during centers. The possibilities are endless. I'll keep you updated on any new ideas I come up with!

Oh, did I mention that I'm over 6 feet tall when I stand on the stage? I kind of like that part.

Would you put a stage in your classroom? Let me know in the comments!

-Miss Tucker