Extreme Makeover
Washington Teacher Transforms Classroom To Inspire Collaboration And Engagement
- Lewis also added high-top coffee tables to her classroom that also help with engagement and enabling students to collaborate during a lesson.
- Comfortable gaming chairs in Christina Lewis’s classroom at Washington Middle School allow students a more welcoming environment to collaborate with their peers.
- Washington Middle School eighth grade social studies teacher Christina Lewis talks with students during a lesson in her recently redesigned classroom that helps make collaborative learning more conducive.

Lewis also added high-top coffee tables to her classroom that also help with engagement and enabling students to collaborate during a lesson.
Cubbies. Gaming chairs. High-top coffee tables.
At first glance, Christina Lewis’ classroom might look more like a lounge. But this unconventional setup is all part of a modern approach to instruction.
“When I started out teaching, I had this vision of an orderly, quiet classroom,” Lewis said. “That seems to have worked for maybe a short time period of history, but it doesn’t work in 2025.”
Lewis was among the first cohort of Jamestown Public Schools teachers to pilot personalized learning strategies on a comprehensive scale with consultant Education Elements. According to Education Elements, personalized learning is “an instructional approach that empowers students to build ownership of their learning.”
“When students take ownership of the learning process, they are more engaged, more involved, and it’s better for all involved,” said Jason Kathman, a JPS technology integration specialist who has helped spearhead this approach with colleague Jeff Kresge.

Comfortable gaming chairs in Christina Lewis’s classroom at Washington Middle School allow students a more welcoming environment to collaborate with their peers.
Key to this approach is the “Core Four” — reflection and goal setting, targeted instruction, flexible path and pace, and collaboration and creativity.
Lewis, through her own self-reflection, knew her instructional strategies lacked that final element.
“I’m great at delivering content and coming up with creativity when I have projects, but my area of weakness was really engaging students in a collaborative and positive way with each other,” she said.
Initially, Lewis feared the prospect of creating individualized lesson plans for every student, but she soon discovered that personalized learning was more about reimagining the learning environment than overwhelming preparation.
“I realized it wasn’t about scrapping everything on day one,” Lewis said. “It was about making intentional changes to address my weaknesses — in this case, collaboration — and finding small, manageable ways to transform the classroom into a space where students could truly engage,” she said.

Washington Middle School eighth grade social studies teacher Christina Lewis talks with students during a lesson in her recently redesigned classroom that helps make collaborative learning more conducive.
That realization marked the beginning of her ambitious journey to completely redesign her classroom. With encouragement from Principal Ericka Alm, assistance from JPS Human Resources, and a dedicated custodial staff at Washington, Lewis decided to jump into this new endeavor with both feet.
“Extreme Makeover: Classroom Edition” began.
“In a perfect world, I wanted students to sit in a comfortable, flexible space where they could collaborate and engage on their own terms,” said Lewis.
The gaming chairs aim to provide comfort and ease when students turn and talk to their neighbor about the lesson, and the high coffee tables put her at equal eye level with her students. Lewis even added two “map rugs” — one with a world map and one with the United States map — to help students visualize the regions that are discussed.
“They’re not just hearing about Ellis Island — they’re sitting on it,” she said. “The new environment encourages collaboration, controlled movement, and makes learning more interactive. It’s not just furniture; it’s a new way of teaching and engaging.”
On the first day of her redesigned classroom, Lewis gathered her students in the hallway to set expectations. She taught them how to use the new furniture responsibly, fostering an environment of respect and ownership.
“We had to re-teach how to interact with this new setup,” she explained. “It was about creating a space that encouraged controlled movement and collaboration.”
The results have been transformative, Lewis said. Absenteeism rates in her class have fallen, and engagement in activities has risen. By creating a welcoming environment and emphasizing peer collaboration, Lewis noticed a significant improvement in attendance and participation.
“When students feel seen, heard, and valued, they show up,” Lewis remarked.
Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. A heartfelt message from a parent thanking her for keeping their child engaged serves as a reminder of the impact she’s making.
“That’s what I’m aiming for,” said Lewis. “For students to take ownership of their learning in an environment that feels like a partnership.”
Though proud of her progress, Lewis is far from complacent. She continues to refine her methods, striving to foster even greater collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds.
“There’s always room to grow,” she said. “But seeing the results of this transformation has been incredibly rewarding.”