Alliance for Catholic Education
A classroom is so much more than a room with four walls. It is a place where learning, connection, strength, and passion are captured through problem sets, group activities, pep rallies, and assessments. As I enter my second year in the classroom, I want to maintain my whimsy and color while adding some much-needed structural support to ensure excellence in my classroom and beyond!
Entering our fourth year as a school, Cristo Rey Orange County High School is officially moving to a permanent location. We’ve been renting what was formerly the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish School since our first days, and now our school community is coming together to make our new campus home. I’ll be decorating a classroom with new dimensions and amenities, while also adding character to our shiny new building. Since I am not in my new classroom yet, I’ll give you a virtual tour of my classroom from last school year, along with a few additions I’m planning for year two.
One of my favorite parts of my classroom was the front door, where I welcomed every student into class each day. As they walked in, 
students were reminded of the joy of learning math and, hopefully, felt my love for each of them through a daily joke or fist bump. During Teacher Appreciation Week, our administration had students write sticky notes to their teachers and placed them on our doors. The door became a collection of reminders of why I love this work.
My classroom decorations are colorful and whimsical, but many of them serve a purpose beyond decoration. My walls are filled with math vocabulary, formulas, mathematical language routines, and reminders that encourage students to persevere. I want students to be able to look around the room and find something that can help them when they are stuck. A simple reminder that “Every Problem Has Its Solution” can help students see mistakes as part of learning rather than evidence that they “aren’t good at math.” We love growth mindsets around here!
Another sanctuary for me last year was my desk. Throughout the year, I moved through different organizational structures and ended up with a space that brought me peace, consistency, and joy even on chaotic days. To all the new teachers reading this, making your desk a place of comfort is so 
important! You spend all day in your classroom, so you might as well make it as comfortable as you can. As the year went on, I found myself making additions to the walls around my desk. I had photos of friends and family, a bouquet of fake flowers to keep everything fresh, and lots of artwork and notes from my students. Instead of feeling like an office, it was a space that felt more like a reflection of the community I was building.
As I move into my second year, I want to keep the personality, student work, and joy that made my classroom feel like home. At the same time, I want to build stronger systems for organization, routines, and student independence. My goal for the new classroom is simple: I want students to walk through the door and know that this is a place where they belong, where they are supported, and where they are capable of doing hard things. I want my classroom to be a space where students learn, grow, struggle, laugh, and become a little more confident in themselves. I can’t wait to build that space again!