Loma Verde Elementary School’s sixth-grade dual language immersion teacher Teresa Youssofi is one of 12 finalists in a national classroom furniture giveaway from furniture maker KI. Selected from hundreds of teachers who submitted designs for their dream classroom, Youssofi is hoping to beat out two other finalists in her geographical region. The poll is open now through Wednesday, Jan. 31 at ki.com/designtowin. Winners will be announced Friday, Feb. 2.
Youssofi designed a versatile classroom with different “zones” so her students can choose where to learn based on their communication or learning style.
In her submission, Youssofi said her classroom meets her instructional needs because it offers plenty of flexibility for students to sit differently while engaging in learning.
“Students may sit at the Ruckus workstations, but they may also stand if they feel the need to move more. I like that the furniture can be easily moved to create a gathering space, testing layout, and collaborative group learning,” she said.
Youssofi said the “MyPlace Loungechairs” give students the opportunity to get comfortable, but also provides a large space for them to spread out their learning tools, such as crayon, notebooks, pencils, and more.
“I have added accessibility for all of my students for whatever their needs may be by adding all sorts of different seating and variated distances from the teacher area. I understand that some students may need seating where they are free to have more movement, whereas some students prefer traditional seating and proximity to the teacher.
“Students are able to see the learning, hear the learning, work independently when needed, and work collaboratively when needed. I can also accommodate for their IEPs with more flexibility. My goal is to always have an inclusive learning environment for all my students.”
Youssofi said that after designing the classroom, on Classroom Planner, regardless of if she wins or not, she plans to make her own renovations.
“I work at a title one school. Every single one of my students receive free lunch. My school is no longer able to provide breakfast during recess like they used to so I have to bring Cheerios in so they don’t go hungry until lunch time. I mention this to give an idea of the population I am working with. This would be a dream come true for my class and I. I don’t even know when the last time my school was updated. The carpet is extremely old, and we could really use new flooring. It is extra difficult when creating projects and we have to scrub paint and glue off the carpet,” she said.
“They are super excited about the contest and are fully ready to support. This process has given me an opportunity to teach them about applying for scholarships and grants. I have shared that this is like a scholarship and how sometimes we win and sometimes we don’t but either way we are learning. I have shared how when I was in college, I received scholarships, and this is similar. I want them to see it is possible and I want to teach my example how hard work pays off.”
