A Grissom Elementary teacher starts off the week with a made-over classroom.
2014 Tulsa Public Schools Teacher of the Year Lynette Shouse was chosen for KSQ Architects' Project Classroom.
Designers and contractors worked almost around the clock this weekend on an overhaul of Shouse’s classroom. Monica Roberts with KSQ Architects said Shouse told them she didn’t like all the fluorescent lighting.
"We know from our experience as designers how much natural light and the quality of lighting in a space can impact learning," Roberts said. "We brought in lots of mood lighting and lamps, and we put them all on remote controls so she could turn different zones off and on."
Besides softer lighting, volunteers brought in comfortable seating and added some terrariums for hands-on learning.
"She wants students to manipulate objects and to get their hands dirty and to really work with objects to understand how they work," Roberts said. "We knew that was a part of her approach."
KSQ talked to Shouse in July about the classroom makeover, but it didn’t happen until this weekend.
Roberts said Shouse was a good pick among the nominated teachers.
"Sometimes we look at, you know, a new teacher, but this year, I think it just really felt like it was a special thing to do something like this for the teacher of the year," Roberts said.
Shouse is Grissom’s gifted and talented teacher and has been with the district more than 20 years.
