As I stood in my classroom, staring at the disarray of my end-of-July classroom, I thought about this blog and how I should really just get on with it. I’ve been sitting on videos for school tours I’ve taken around the state in the last year, but I just didn’t feel ready to post. Well, we’re done with that attitude now because I know I’m not the only one. There are teachers around the country, airing out their classrooms and removing the sheets from furniture while waiting for the AC to finally kick in, who are prepping for the new school year.

My new “deskless” class! Anything you see to improve? #ksedchat #ruraledchat http://t.co/TqLLg7YJhr

— Amanda Buethe (@AmandaBuethe) July 22, 2015

I loved watching this tour! The first thing that caught my eye was that we have the same Hokki stools. The second was that I need to work on my “deskless” situation; hard to do in a computer lab but I’ve got whole avenues opening up as my school goes 1:1 iPad this year. Amanda has such an inviting room, I think secondary classrooms have a lot to learn from elementary school design and this short tour really got my brain going.

Inspired, I decided to Periscope my classroom in all it’s messiness. Part of me hesitated (again), wanting to wait until I had everything back in place but I’m glad I did it. So my green screen walls needs a touch up and I’ve got yoga ball chairs to inflate, so what? Watching my own video gave me new insights and items to add to my custodians’ honey-do list. (God bless my custodians.)

I’d like to challenge #oklaed to post and your own #notready for school classroom tours and then meet me back here in a month to update your polished and student-ready version. You know what, admins and counselors, I’d love to see your spaces, too. Libraries! Oh, I’d love to see some libraries. I know people who put a lot of effort into making them amazing.  Just click on “Contribute” at the top of the page to get added. I can’t wait to see what my fellow educators are up to!