The plan was to be brave, be bold and try something different. The last two years, I really hadn't changed much in layout with my classroom because it was working well and in general, very smoothly.
This year.. it wasn't bad, but with change comes sometimes the need to optimize. Since I began teaching math in small groups, I really found myself spending a lot of energy being creative in the placement of my materials. I really had to have everything from math put away in order to make guided reading groups function without manipulatives around. Having told you this, know that this draining creativity squeeze was just the beginning of the thinking, "There has to be a better way to do this everyday."
Enter the thought, thanks to reading wonderful teacher articles on organizing, rearranging and classroom decor, "What if I got rid of my teacher desk?" {Silent scream!} I wanted to. I wanted to give more space to what we really do - which is learn all day long. My desk is the place for me to plan, prepare, answer notes and keep it all together... but I am only ever there during specials or before and after school.
I wanted to... but I had no idea what it would look like and what patterns of habit I'd have to change in order to accept what else would take its place. I thought and thought and drew sketches. I began to feel energizing creative juices flow and began to design... I could create more alternative seating placements and get rid of having one traditional "seat" for every child.
Moving things around with a few weeks left of school gave me the opportunity to see if my sketches could come to life. The results?
I love it! Love it, love it, love it!
My favorite aspect of the new room layout, which was brought on by having additional space now that my traditional desk is gone, is that there are more open spaces. I used to think that open spaces were terrifying {insert picture of kinders wrestling} but that doesn't hold true for me any more. I will tell you, that because I have a teacher computer on a shelf, I am using space next to it to hold my "teachery" things. But everything that was in my desk either found a new home, or it got pitched. {Throwing things away felt soooo good} So, I'm not without a teacher space that I will still use for planning and prepping.
There was nothing wrong with my teacher desk. In fact it gave me a perfect working triangle. But, my room now looks at least 1/3 bigger since, visually, the big black box of my desk was cutting it off. It feels more spacious, relaxed and inviting. And, having tried it for three weeks with kinders... its fully functional and very kinder friendly. It lends itself to whole group, small group and independent work.
Remember I said this desire for change was brought on by the thought that I needed to change something since I now teach math in small groups? We found a kidney shaped table to bring in, and had plenty of room since two large rectangle tables went out.
My guided reading will now happen at a regular height table and guided math will be at the floor height kidney table.
And you can see that, I can easily turn around and use my guided reading space for spreading out to do projects if needed during my plan times. The organized part of me likes that that I can't leave teacher stuff out since we use it daily for student use. So, my new rule for what stays in my teacher area? If I use it on a daily or weekly basis, it can stay. If not... it finds a new home in a cupboard, filing cabinet or closet.
All tables, chairs, floor spaces {minus the sunken area and closet}, and shelves will be used as student spaces. I will have limits of how many kinders can be at a table during independent work to limit the noise levels. And I have clipboards and lapboards for students who choose to work on the floor.
These are just some of the snapshots to give you a glimpse of how our room feels and looks now. How did I make the ball chair? Would you believe a Walmart $1.50 bouncy ball {yes - it held up!} and a $17 yoga ring to keep it in place. The new seat was very successful - so I added a second one at the other large rectangular table. I also have a stool in place of a chair at one table to offer variety.
More on Teacher Organization
Organizing digital teacher filesOrganizing teacher materials for the week and quarter
Organizing a teacher planning binder
Organizing behind my teacher easel
Organizing for a substitute teacher
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- Leslie
