Setting Up Your Classroom

Have you ever wondered if your students would learn more if you just moved your classroom around? Does the location of your student’s desks really make a difference? The answer to both of those questions is yes – sort of.  The way you divide and organize your classroom can have an impact on how much attention your students give you and their lessons, and of course what they ultimately learn.  Organize your classroom in the wrong manner and your children’s attention may be divided in a way that is not conducive to what you are trying to teach.

So, how should you arrange your seats, desks, learning centers and other classroom furniture? Here are a few tips to help you better arrange and organize your classroom for peak efficiency and optimal learning:

• Give your students the room they need to work.  As adults we often learn how to work in a cluttered environment, but younger students have not learned that skill yet – nor should they have to. Classrooms can quickly get  busy and very cluttered.  After all, there are loads of projects to display and supplies to make handy to your students. Unfortunately, in your quest to make everything easily accessible to your class, you may crowding your student’s individual space, making it hard for them to concentrate on the task at hand and get their work completed.  Take a good look at your work tables and desks.  Do your students have enough arm room, leg room and general space to spread their books out; practice their handwriting without worrying about knocking something over, etc?  If not, begin de-cluttering the student’s workspace to give them the room they need.
• Get rid of individual desks when needed.  Not every classroom is big enough to allow each student to have their own big clunky desk. Sometimes putting 6-8 students at larger worktables is a better use of space and can make covering subjects easier as well as doing projects together.  If you think this design might work better in your classroom talk to the administrator about switching out those desks for tables. The odds are there are plenty of extra tables in some store room that you can use.
• Get rid of what you don’t need.  Teachers hate to get rid of anything. After all, who knows when you might need it again? The problem is that some children are over stimulated by excess stuff hanging on the walls and crammed in the corners.  If you find your students distracted a lot, consider cleaning out your room, leaving more open wall space and cleaned out shelves to keep distractions at bay.
• Use plenty of organizational containers to keep things in their place.  Nothing creates chaos in a classroom quicker than clutter. Be sure to make supplies accessible without them getting in the way by storing like things together in closets, drawers and cubbies.
• Create inviting learning centers that your students will want to visit.  Make a cozy reading nook in the corner or a brightly decorated art center in the back of the room.  Use color, lighting and textures to your advantage. Make each learning center unique and distinctive to help students focus on the task at hand while there.
• Don’t be afraid to rearrange your desks and classroom furniture. If a certain layout doesn’t work – change it.  Sure it will take some time and energy, but if it makes your daily schedule work better, then try it. Sometimes just moving things around is enough to re-interest students and catch their attention.
• Use room dividers when necessary.  Seasoned teachers know that separating kids can sometimes be a good thing.  Room dividers can be a great way to change the scenery and the atmosphere in a room. When available, experiment with them to see what works best in your situation.

In the past, teacher’s lined student desk in neat individual rows facing the chalkboard and the teacher’s desk. That’s no longer the case. Today’s teachers understand the importance of organizing a classroom for peak efficiency and for optimal learning. That may mean pulling student chairs into a circle for reading time or to play a math game. Or it may mean ditching the desk altogether and opting instead for group learning at a table.  Whatever you decide to use to better organize your classroom and excite your students doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you take the time to really think about how your classroom layout can enhance learning or hinder it. Then make the necessary changes.