Welcome To The Cloud Room!
Meet Tamara
Lead Early Educator
This is what our classroom looks like!
Drop off → Between 8:00 and 9:30 a cloud teacher greets families at the back door of the classroom. Every morning, Trinity students have their temperatures checked each and families are asked a series of mandated questions in accordance with Vermont Covid-19 regulations. Students are encouraged to responsibly put away their own belongings, have their first bathroom turn of the day and get right into play! The transition to school and leaving their families can be a tricky time for many children. Teachers make sure to be available for as much emotional support as they may need.
Pick up → Between 3:00 and 4:00pm pick up also takes place at the back door of the classroom. Each afternoon students will bring home a folder with a daily check in form. Cloud teachers love this reflective tool and it helps support the lack of time to communicate with families in person. Many current cloud families read their check-ins together as a reference when discussing their child's day at school.
Each Child has a cubby in the cloud room with a basket and two hooks. This is where they keep their seasonal gear. They also store anything they bring to school. The morning. Coat boots and backpacks. Extra clothes are stored in the bathroom of the cloud room. Cloud friends learn and are encouraged to take care of their belongings in this space.
There are three built-in meal times during the school day. All students are provided with morning breakfast and a snack in the afternoon. Students have the choice to sign up for school lunch, provided by the Burlington School District, or may choose to bring a lunch from home. In the cloud room we use this time to sit and learn about each other. Teachers and students listen to what we are all thinking about and interested in. We also learn about each other’s families and experiences.
This is our “Self-Care” Loft. Our social emotional learning is weaved into many parts of our classroom and daily schedule. In this space students practice self care. They explore and practice identifying and managing their emotions. Students are encouraged to use this space when they are having big feelings or when they want space to play alone. They are also encouraged to hang out and look at books about feelings and pictures of their families or use stuffed animals, small toys, and sensory toys to calm their bodies. There are also tools for identifying feelings and steps to help self-regulate.
The décor of the loft is chosen by each new class in the cloud room. This is our Magic Tree House self-care loft.
Meeting is an exciting and collaborative time in the classroom. Cloud teachers work hard to explore student interest in a hands-on and fun way. We encourage students to ask questions and investigate. We will often have students vote on topics of study. We discuss and explore what we already know. Then we ask questions that guide our learning. Each question is explored as a group at a meeting as well as through exploration during morning play. Once we have done our investigations we celebrate all we have learned. In the cloud room this is also where we have daily dance parties, make and track a classroom calendar, and choose classroom jobs!
Each day there are open ended choices that encourage students to investigate interest areas. Students vote on topics to learn about and share their curiosities. Books and materials are used to help students explore their questions. Stations also give teachers the opportunity to observe developmental skills. Teachers enhance play by encouraging questions, using language that acknowledges student thinking and techniques for explorations. We are also committed to scaffolding play for all learners. What cloud friends appreciate the most is how playful and fun teachers are and when we make connections to what they are doing and thinking to our own actions and thoughts.
This is our small group area. (Tamara’s favorite spot!) Students spend 15 minute working in small groups. During this time we explore the many skills that require intentional teaching. Students rotate through daily and work on group projects, explore feelings and learn and practice social skills.