It's not uncommon for teachers to decorate their classrooms with a theme. It keeps things interesting, but one teacher had a heartbreaking reason for decorating her classroom like the ocean.
Speaking with People, teacher Dakota Chance, who teaches fourth grade in Mississippi, explains why she decorates her classroom like the ocean.
"I always pour 110% into my classroom," Chance told the outlet. "I know some students don't receive the love and support every child deserves at home, so I strive to make my classroom a safe and calming place - a space where they know they are always welcome."
Teacher Decorates Like The Ocean
"He was truly my first best friend - someone I could always count on, no matter what. He had such a gentle, supportive nature, and he loved to laugh," Chance said. "The beach and the ocean were his safe space. We lived in Gulf Shores, Ala., for years, and that's where he was happiest. He was an avid fisherman who could spend hours by the water, and he always felt at peace near the waves."
When classes resumed in August, she decided the ocean would serve as a gentle reminder of all that he meant to her.
"I brought the ocean into my second home - my classroom," Chance shared. "It feels like carrying a piece of him with me each day, and I hope my students can feel the same sense of calm and comfort that the ocean gave him."
"If you had asked 16-year-old me and my dad at the time if I was going to be a teacher, I probably wouldn't have believed it," she admits. "But my dad's faith in me never wavered. You could tell him I was a millionaire singer, and he'd say, 'I knew she could do it.' His unwavering support has shaped the teacher and person I am today."
