How a Bilingual Elementary Teacher Turned Her Living Room into a Virtual Classroom
Working from home takes on a whole new meaning when your colleagues are five-year-olds. When Molly, a bilingual elementary teacher, transitioned to teaching kindergarten and first grade remotely from her New York living room, she didn’t just need a desk. She needed a dynamic virtual classroom that allowed her to sit, stand, stretch, and use her learning board, where she displays various teaching materials.
Pre-pandemic, Molly, whose second language is Spanish, loved teaching in the classroom. She volunteered to teach remotely with the families who opted to receive virtual instruction. In order to bring the classroom to her students and continue her hands-on approach to learning, she transformed her workspace with a more versatile setup. Now, she can sit, stand, move around the room, and more easily and engage with her students.
With the right products and a lot of ingenuity, Molly created an at-home classroom that makes virtual learning fun and successful. Using Staples Connect™, she was able to find the furniture and office accessories to suit her needs, plus advice and intel to make this strange school year a success. Feeling inspired by Molly’s setup? Head to your local Staples store to shop her WFH setup, plus discover more products, services, and inspiration for working and learning.
Stay Connected
From lesson planning to breakout rooms, Molly is often looking at multiple screens at once. Having a keyboard that can keep up, like the Logi K480 Multi-Device Keyboard, is essential. With a built-in shelf for tablets and smartphones, it lets her easily toggle between different tasks and devices. And a cheerful productivity cube engages students and keeps them on task by timing activities.
Create a Home Base
Molly doesn’t spend all her classroom time at her desk, but every teacher needs a solid desk setup. The Lakeshore Writing Desk has a lift top that helps her raise her camera to see the class’s calendars and lesson posters — including our favorite, the “How many days have we been at school?” chart.
Take Care of Your Body
Teaching can be exhausting. Molly’s comfortable (and sleek!) Union & Scale MidMod chair prevents aches and pains, and a sturdy anti-fatigue mat makes standing sessions way more comfortable. With a couple of simple ergonomic touches, she has more energy even after the school day is done.
Get Organized
Molly works magic out of her virtual classroom, and one of her best tricks is keeping it all contained in her New York apartment. Her utility cart ensures that supplies are in arm’s reach until she’s ready for them, while cute brass file holders keep important papers handy.
While it can’t take the place of in-person teaching, Molly is pleased with the classroom experience she’s created. “The thing I’m most proud of? That my students are still learning,” she says. “I have students who are starting to read, I have students who are starting to write. They definitely have still been learning this year, which I think is, as a class, is our biggest success.”
