This is a spotlight on one of NHA’s educators who is featured on The Teachers’ Lounge.
If you walked into Christina Harmon’s eighth-grade ELA classroom at Windemere Park Charter Academy, you wouldn’t see a traditional set up. You’d see a booth, gaming chairs, picnic benches, a couch, and unique lighting.
She started this approach her first year, though she reflects that it was a disaster. A couple years later, she tried again and never stopped.
“I believe that students do better and are more comfortable with non-traditional seating,” said Ms. Harmon. “My students say they are able to concentrate more, and I see fewer behavior issues.”
She believes the lighting in her room keeps the tone calm and prevents her from getting headaches. She also has over 1,400 books in her class library.
“It’s important to me that students have books that interest them,” she said. “I just added a ton of graphic novels, and I always ask if there are books that they want to read.”
Ms. Harmon was recently a guest on The Teachers’ Lounge to share what it’s like to have a non-traditional classroom. Listen to her episode, A Non-Traditional Classroom Environment, on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The Teachers’ Lounge is NHA’s library of podcast episodes, videos, and blogs that support teachers in all stages of their careers by sharing helpful tips and tricks on teaching-related topics.
Each guest on The Teachers’ Lounge is an expert in a particular area of teaching, bringing a unique perspective on educator-specific topics, and Ms. Harmon brings her passion for teaching in a non-traditional environment.
Ms. Harmon has been with National Heritage Academies (NHA) for seven years and is in her fifth year at Windemere Park, now also serving as the School Safety Specialist at her school. “I really do love being a part of NHA and Windemere Park,” she said.
Keep up the excellent work, Ms. Harmon!
Listen to The Teachers’ Lounge podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, watch videos on The Teachers' Lounge YouTube, or read the blog. If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in The Teachers’ Lounge, email swilliams@nhaschools.com.
Windemere Park Charter Academy, managed by National Heritage Academies, is a free, public charter school serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade in the Lansing area. For more information, visit windemereparkcharteracademy.org.
Visit Windemere Park Charter Academy's blog to read more stories like this.