In the spring of 2000, we began transforming our classroom. Prior to working on the physical space, we asked the students to imagine what their ideal classroom would look like. Through a guided “visioning exercise,” the women dreamed of water fountains, plants, comfortable chairs, coat racks, and new paint for the walls of our new learning environment. When summer arrived, a few teachers and students gathered to make the visioning dream come true. We decided our first task was to repaint the walls. We chose a soothing and soft peach tone to add natural brightness to the room. The lighter walls offered a pleasant contrast to the dark brown wood of the altar at the front of the classroom and the doors as well. We polished the wood to restore the original luster that had been covered by years of dust and dirt. We removed the dark maroon curtains from the windows so light could freely flow into the room. Our former director brought in a stained glass picture she made, which we placed in the center of a large window in the main classroom. We added new halogen lights to counteract the harsh fluorescent overhead lights. At the time we did not have the funds to change the carpet, so I rented a rug cleaner from the local drugstore. New plants and flowers were added to give “life” to the room. We took out the old bookcases and cabinets that cluttered the room and sorted through the years of accumulated books and papers. We only kept the essential materials, which allowed for a more spacious and open learning environment.

Pictures were donated by the Art Connection to create a gallery in our classroom. Most of the pictures depict women from various cultures. They are truly an artistic representation of the beauty and diversity that exists in the Adult Learner Program.