By BOTWC Staff
(Source: BOTWC)
We would love to be in her classroom!
Yennifer Castillo is a FAMU alumna and aerospace graduate student who has become known across social media for her creative classroom decor. A fifth-year teacher, Castillo said it was always her dream to become an educator, PEOPLE reports.
“I have a picture of myself and I was like 7 or 8 years old. In the picture, I have a whiteboard and I’m teaching my dolls. I always tell people I’m living in one of my answered prayers. One of my dreams is now real,” said Castillo.
Castillo said she fondly remembers her teachers going above and beyond in the classroom, specifically a memory from fifth grade when she learned about Greek mythology that stuck with her.
“One of my teachers put columns around the classroom and had togas. It was so cool and something I knew I wanted to implement when I started teaching,” explained Castillo.
It’s a habit she picked up after getting her degree in biology education from Florida A&M University. For the last five years, Castillo has been decorating her classrooms annually, first working as a middle school teacher and now with high school students. For her, it helps to personalize the experience and set the tone for the school year to keep students in a positive headspace.
“I’ve been teaching a variety of sciences – earth science, space science, and physical science. Now I’m teaching marine and environmental sciences…I teach a subject that can feel less engaging, so I wanted to build an environment that excites my students,” she added.
Every year, Castillo chooses a unique theme that aligns with her subject matter, creating everything from Dexter’s Laboratory-themed rooms to The Proud Family. She first started sharing her process for transforming her classrooms on Twitter, and someone suggested she post to TikTok. Her classroom makeovers have since gone viral, and Castillo now has an Etsy shop where she creates printables that other educators can purchase to bring creativity to their own classrooms. Castillo wants to make it easier for teachers who usually purchase their own school supplies and are responsible for creating what their rooms look like.
“One thing I do want other teachers to know, with the limited budgets and salaries that we get, is that you should always strive to do what you can…Don’t listen to anyone else. Don’t listen to people who say you’re doing too much…Don’t feel bad if you want to go all out, but also don’t feel bad if you can’t…At the end of the day, we’re here to teach, and there are other ways we can make it fun,” said Castillo.
This year’s classroom theme is Kim Possible, and Castillo even dressed up as the character for the first day of school. The theme was so good that actress Christy Carlson Romano, who voiced the cartoon, shouted Castillo out for all of her hard work and sent Castillo’s students a special message. But for the talented teacher, it’s all par for the course and just another fun way to connect with students from day one!
“This year, being that I’m teaching marine science and environmental science, which are both subjects that focus on the Earth and how we can take better care of it, I thought the most on-brand cartoon would be Kim Possible. In her theme song, she says she’s just an average girl and she’s here to save the world. I thought it was fitting,” Castillo explained.
To support Castillo by donating to her classroom wish list or to spruce up your classroom by purchasing items from her Etsy, visit her Linktree
