GREENWOOD, MISSISSIPPI
Contributions by Janice Ford

On two September days, at two Cornerstone schools in Greenwood, small groups of children sat cross-legged around Lu Lewis to talk about making their classrooms special places for learning.

At both Williams and Threadgill elementary schools, a classroom was selected to experience a redesign with the goal of creating a "warm, friendly, non-threatening, literacy-rich place to learn.” Cornerstone's Lu Lewis talked with students about the goals and then listed their suggestions: "…move this to here, make this lower, have more of these” and "what about bright colors, 'neat' magazines, lots of art, bean bags,” and on and on.

After brainstorming with the children, Janice Ford, Wanda McKinney, Janie Haddon, and Lu put their heads together, discussing a typical teaching day, incorporating the children's ideas and voil`a , plans emerged, and the end result were unique rooms set up in each of the two schools, reflecting the thoughtful planning of both students and teachers.

The classrooms were configured with centers: cozy library, writing, math science, reading for invitational group center, and listening. Centers had tables and shared resources (pencils, papers, etc.). Books relative to each center are now accessible. For example, the science center has a magnifying glass, pine cones, leaves, acorns, books about the forest, etc.

Lu outlined a schedule that might better fit the needs of the class and prepare them for centers: ways to keep children focused at centers, ways to focus on literacy at every center; words posted at each center for children to see and use; activities at centers relative to objects placed at each one. In addition, each child would have three books at his desk or table at all times. When a child completes an activity or is waiting on directions, they will always be able to read. Each Friday, the books would be exchanged for new ones for the following week.

Before leaving Threadgill Elementary, Lu promised the children that helped her that she would be mailing them a box, and in the box would be one item for each of their new centers. Their job would be to place the item in the appropriate center. Needless to say, no one wanted Lu to leave! They all asked if she wanted to live in Greenwood and visit their classes every day!