A Reflection of Meghan Forbes's "Classroom Tour" and Alfie Kohn's "What To Look For In A Classroom"

 A Reflection of Meghan Forbes's "Classroom Tour" and Alfie Kohn's "What To Look For In A Classroom"

By April Federico

    Before you read this: I apologize for mixing up the reading assignments, but I hope you at least got a taste of Finn from my last blog post! From my perspective as a former special education teacher, watching Megan Forbes’s middle school classroom tour through the lens of Alfie Kohn really highlights a tension between aesthetics and accessibility. I was initially told while decorating my classroom that “less is more.” And in special education, “less is more” isn’t just a preference, it’s necessary. Classrooms filled with bright colors, layered posters, and hanging decorations can easily overwhelm students or pull their attention away from learning. 



    Pro tip when you go into your first year of teaching: focus on classroom policies and management before decor. 



    While Megan’s classroom feels welcoming and inviting, I could not help but wonder if the number of visual elements, from Hamilton lyrics to “All About Me” flags, might compete with the focused, “mind sharp” energy she encourages each morning. Kohn might see it similarly, not because of sensory concerns, but because he values starting the year with a more minimal space that students gradually fill with their own work instead of pre-made decorations. But at the same time, the Hamilton posters and the decorations that I have seen at my placement site are an introduction to who the teacher is. For example, my placement for this class has a lot of pink (she loves pink, like me!) and she lets her personality “shine” through her classroom decor, getting a taste of her as a teacher. 

    Where Megan’s classroom really stands out, though, is in her use of student roles, which connects strongly with both Kohn’s philosophy and a special education mindset. In special education, giving students jobs goes far beyond helping out; it builds independence, confidence, and real-world skills. Megan mentions that she can’t assign jobs to all of her students, but highlights roles like her Tech Support Team and TA Station. From a functional skills perspective, these roles are incredibly meaningful because they reflect responsibilities students will have beyond school. Whether in general or special education, having a defined role, like running a station or supporting classmates, helps students develop a sense of ownership, responsibility, and mutual respect.

    At the end of the day, while a “less is more” approach might suggest simplifying the visual environment to better support students with sensory needs, the idea of students as active contributors fully aligns with Kohn’s vision of a democratic classroom. He emphasizes that students should be participants, not passive observer as well as giving them meaningful responsibilities is one of the most effective ways to make that happen. Even if the classroom feels visually busy, what truly matters is that students are treated as capable, valued members of the community. That’s what turns a classroom into more than just a place to learn, it becomes a space where students practice life skills every day


Comments

  1. GavinApril 13, 2026 at 8:32 AM

    Hi April, I really appreciate your ability to look for the good in the classroom tour video. You also reframed the focus on student involvement -- I think we often get caught up in our individual contribution to the decor of a room, and forget that the way students get to interact and contribute is more to the point. I agree that "less is more" can be a good tool for not cluttering a room needlessly, but you remind us that there needs to be outcomes that center the student experience when we tailor our approach to creating classroom environments.

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