Flores said for the past few years she has been using this classroom transformation method to help her students apply their knowledge in a different, exciting way. She said the transformation is a surprise for the students each year and it is inspiring to see their excitement.

“The students were so excited while walking in the door to the classroom. Their desks were transformed into tables and chef hats and aprons were on their desks,” Flores said. “They were extremely serious about their new chef jobs. We also played Italian instrumental music to create the Italian restaurant ambiance.”

Flores said this type of learning engages every child while creating real-world implications of the curriculum.

Flores explained, “Many talked about how much they love Dion’s pizza and made connections with going to Dion’s with their families. When learning becomes meaningful, they create these personal connections.”

Flores said she created word problems for the students to solve while applying their knowledge of adding and subtracting decimal points. She said this reinforces what they know but because they are having so much fun, they don’t even realize they are still learning.

Flores said she implements many real-world situations to her students throughout the course of the entire year.

“Our 4th graders went on a Safari last week to explore nonfiction text, and we have Fraction Football coming up, along with creating Science circuits,” Flores said. “We discuss many different job options as well while they experience the transformations; from being chefs to Rangers and exploring different countries.”

Flores said there are many concepts within the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum that allow her to transform learning into real-world applications. She said each time they do something special like the Dion’s classroom transformation, it is rewarding for her students.

“As teachers, we strive to create active learning in our classroom for each child,” Flores said. “The excitement they exude when they walk into the classroom is inspiring! I had so many thank me for making learning so much fun.”