Its a vital part of your teaching – yet it is overlooked or given little thought by many.
Its not just a case of shoehorning in the children or arranging desks into groups – its far more involved than this.
So why take time and trouble to plan your classroom BEFORE any children arrive….what is it that we as teachers are searching for in a classroom environment?
Lets put a basic list down to jog our thought process – its by no means exhaustive and I am sure you’ll have many additions that you could make.
The Classroom as an Environment
- A warm and friendly classroom atmosphere that children can proudly call their own
- Bright and cheerful decoration or display that excites and inspires
- The classroom should be interactive and access should be available for all
- The displays are current and reinforce work being done at that time
- Children’s work and resources should be evident
- Seating arrangements should be selected to balance the academic and social needs of the children ( x ref personalities)
And now looking at the Classroom as a functioning and working area
- What and where are the fixed classroom elements?
- Position of the Teachers desk to allow both visual and interactive situations
- Classroom accessories such as bookcases, mats, display tables, computer storage and charging, child tray storage cases (if separate),
- Numbers of desks/chairs – seating needed
- The ability of children and teacher / TA to move around the class freely
- Opportunity for children to use and select educational items from around the class
- Is a quiet area or SEN / support area needed?
- What is the size and shape of the classroom?
- Don’t forget that in a Rec / Yr1 classroom a lot of class / teacher interaction takes place on the mat….so make sure you build this consideration into your design if possible – ( I will be writing a separate article especially dealing with these individual Class arrangements)
Ok so that’s given you a starting point for looking at your classroom – and there are a myriad of different sizes and shapes that you will meet in your career….believe me I know!
So what’s the first thing we have to do?
The first thing you need is a paper and pencil ….ok seems simple enough – and the first thing you will do is to do a sketch of the classroom at least A4 size….only the room shape, the window placing, the door, the radiators, the board / screen and the teachers main storage point.
These are the fixed elements that cannot be changed…..everything that you do from here has to go into this shape bearing in mind the items mentioned above!
The next thing I always add is the Teachers desk….why because it is your base in the class. Now some people don’t like having a teachers desk in a class and that is a personal choice – for me its a necessity! (hey I might even write a blog on why I like teachers desks!). The teachers desk is YOUR desk and it is from here that you operate. Briefly you need to position it so that you can see all the classroom and all the pupils and also you should be able to help and assist pupils (at times) directly at your desk without them obstructing say the screen or the board. There’s so much more to a teachers desk but hey – for another time!
So you have now drawn on your plan where you are going to position your desk….good start!
Now put your pencil down and look at what other areas you need in your class….we are looking at library areas, mat area (more so KS1) and similar – where could they go. If its a library area don’t forget it needs to have space in front of it so children can sit and read or at least sit briefly while choosing a book. When you have decided draw it on your plan.
Ok now we are going to think at a tangent here and consider the other fixed areas in the room….namely windows and radiators. Windows generally are less of a problem than radiators – why? well its not too bad sitting near to open windows but its never too great at any time to be sitting near to hot radiators. Personally I try to situate library areas under windows or in front of radiators – but it may not be possible only you can answer that when you look at your room.
Coming from Yorkshire I always ran my classes pretty cold….no hot rooms for my pupils and no chance of nodding off!…..hard work keeps you warm!
The next items are the desks and if you are planning this at home you can only give it a notional arrangement as when you get to laying it out in class the size and shape of things may not fit the way you imagined. You will know your numbers in the class you have for the new year and you will know the types of desks you have – simple maths says you have to now form your groups…generally 4’s, 6’s or even 8’s. But make sure no-one has their back to the front of the class!
Note:- Its been a long time since children have sat in rows in class – individual desks are no longer existent but twin desks in rows really isn’t the way to go – however there can be occasion where pairs of children can be sat at the front of the class….this works depending on the nature and personality of the children concerned and I will delve into that in part 2 of this blog where we look at grouping children together.
From this point you now have your skeleton drawing of the classroom – from here you must now go and hopefully with your TA or the caretaker set out the room for real! Teachers desk first, library area next and any study area needed. Then set out the desks as you planned on your paper.
It will be quickly clear if this plan is going to work or not….don’t forget we have certain immovable in the room and the only 1st choice I make is for my teachers desk. Your job now is to fit what you need into the room – so move …shuffle…rejig etc. You will soon find where the best places for a 6 group is or that instead of a 6 a 4 group needs to go here and perhaps 8 is never going to happen! Don’t get discouraged….keep shuffling and you will get the answer in the end. Also keep in mind the twin desk ploy at the front if needed.
Once the desks are in place then you need to look at movement around the class for everybody….access to book trays if necessary, …view of the board/screen…working area for each pupil .
So set it out and then sit at your desk (or stand in various corners) and take a look – happy….if not then tweak again until you are.
In Part 2 we are going to look at pupil grouping and the logistics of that circus!
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Charles