Yeah, it may be summer break for most teachers (ahem...including this one) but much like most teachers we're always thinking about the year ahead.
I am so excited to begin teaching first grade this upcoming school year; covering a teacher friend who is staying home with her new baby (expected to arrive this July!). It's such an honor when a teacher entrusts their class with you and these little firsties will have so much fun while in my care.
One of the big things I like to tackle first when planning on getting into my classroom the first day back is envisioning the organization. From teacher and student materials to the physical makeup of the desks, chairs and bookcases. It all plays a part in how well a classroom functions throughout the school year.
So, over the last few weeks I've been cultivating a little list of my favorite classroom organization ideas from fellow teachers across the web (i.e. Pinterest). Each idea makes for creative uses of space without much prep or thought - both being huge pluses for me!
Arranging the Classroom
Knowing your physical space in your classroom, and using it effectively, will save you all school year long! Over the years, and in different rooms, I've tried a number of different arrangements in terms of the big furniture like student and teacher desks, center spaces, reading nooks, and gathering space. Other uses of space incorporate your walls, doors, or anything you can hang something on. Using these spaces in the right way helps the flow of traffic throughout your room and allows students to work independently without any hassles.
But, always keep in mind that you won't truly know what works until your kiddos get in there. Each class and each year is going to feel and need something different than what you've done before! Keep an open mind and be thoughtful about how you'd like your room to feel and work.
Flexible seating options.
This is the newest approach to classroom arrangement and it's large in part due to the influx of students who need to fidget or those who do their best work in a position other than seated at a desk. By offering students a choice, they have the opportunity to think about what environment helps them do their best - but, of course, understanding the ground rules for each seating choice.
I love this idea to break the small group learning table into identifiable spaces for the kiddos. You can find this, and more fun organizational tips over at Adrienne Teaches!
Designate the right space.
Have visible and designated areas for each major subject. The bright and welcoming colors in First Grade Made's classroom invite students to that space! I love her use of bins for centers and how each wall clearly states where students can find the anchor charts or their work throughout the year.
Arranging the Teacher
Being an organized teacher go hand in hand. If you're unorganized then you'll quickly find yourself underneath papers you don't know what to do with and students all over the place. By incorporating some easy tips and figuring out what works for you will take so much wasted time off your plate!
Use the walls and boards!
This is a 'duh' statement but how you use them is completely up to you and oh, so important! I loved my hot glue gun when I had walls made of cinderblock because I could literally hang anything and it would stay up the whole year - then easily be removed.
Using hot glue to glue clothespins to your cinderblock walls is the perfect option for hanging posters that come up and down regularly - such as my Star Student posters. Another way you can hang clothespins on other types of walls is by hot gluing pushpins to the backs and sticking them in the wall or board that way!
Pocket folders are the best!
Use doors or walls to hang folder pockets for student's unfinished work, for example - but think about the traffic to this place before designating just any ole' door or wall. Make sure students can access this easily.
Anchor chart organization
I love creating fun anchor charts for my kiddos but storing and displaying them can take up so much space! Luckily I found this idea to use a magnetic curtain rod to help me display my charts and have a place for them when I'm done. I just simply flip and display my next poster!
Teachers, embrace the binders!
I am all for teachers using technology to keep track of their lessons or even student data, but nothing's as good (or reliable) and paper and pencil. So, finding a binder system that works for you is instrumental in staying organized and keeping grades easily accessible for when you need them most.
Arranging the Supplies
Dum...dum....duuuuum.
School supplies have a zillion different ways to be organized, but these few ideas caught my eye! Much like designating a space for your centers or student work, every day supplies need designated areas to be stored when not in use and easily accessible to students if you want your day running smoothly. Here are a couple of ways you can organize your supplies...
Supply stations.
Again, the easiest thing you can spend your money on are these various Sterilite plastic bins because you can literally use them or absolutely anything and everything. If you have desks that don't have inside cubbies, use these drawers for each student to keep their things. Use stations or groups of tables? Use a set of drawers for each major subject for every table group and assign table captains to retrieve their materials.
Creekside Teacher Tales decorated her plastic drawers to keep her crayons organized in her classroom. I love this idea - really for any grade!
Charging stations.
Nowadays technology is found in almost every classroom; going beyond just computer desktops. Now students have individual iPads or similar device and much like anything, teachers need to keep these charging stations easily accessible and organized. I love the numbered cubbies from Time 4 Kindergarten's room! Such an easy way to keep these devices safe.
Desk Fairy
I love this idea of a desk fairy because student desks tend to quickly get out of hand. So, if you're prepared to go the extra mile and reward students for tidiness then this idea is perfect! Because let's face it, both students and teachers need to be organized!
