The Most Important Inside Tree You’ve Ever Seen – The Identi-tree

It’s easy to see a theme in Skylar Bjork’s Kindergarten Classroom at Radiant Elementary.

“I’ve always wanted everyone to feel loved and welcomed and to do that I feel like they each need to know how special they are and how special all of their friends are,” says Bjork. 

That’s exactly how Skylar felt when she was in their shoes.

“The reason I wanted to come back and teach here was because my teachers always made me feel special and unique,” says Bjork. I think it’s really cool to be a part of that as the teacher now and let my students feel the love that I got to feel as I went through the district.” 

Miss Bjork’s classroom has a ton of positive energy, but on one of their outside walls there is a huge tree, the Identi-tree.

“We were entering the spring season, I thought we all grow a lot during the identity unit, the whole class does a lot of growing as a group and individually,” says Bjork. “So a tree growing, I just thought that was the perfect way to show all of the growth they make while they are learning.”

First up, some impressive drawings.

“We drew our self portrait and it’s about sharing things about us,” says kindergartner Ava Lees.

“First I drew the head, then the shirt, then the mouth, and then my eyes and then I think my nose,” says kindergartner Reid Shedek.

Of course you can’t have a spring time tree without some flowers. But these aren’t your ordinary flowers, they list everything that these kids are passionate about.

“I care about my mom. I care about my sister,” says Fiona Hutchison.

“I put on that I care about my family, I have friends and my family is the best family I’ve ever had,” said Avery Brobst.

Sure, this is just a tree in a hallway. But to these kids and really everyone who walks by, the Identi-tree comes to life. 

“They each take their own ownership in everything they create and they are so proud of it every time and then when you hang it up in the hallway,” said Bjork. “You can just see that sense of pride on their face that the school is going to walk by and see it every day.”