Classroom Design
My classroom is designed so that students have many options on where to complete work and how they want to make the room in order to fit their needs. I believe it is very important that a room is flexible for its students and can meet whatever needs the students or just one student has. My classroom has students tables, computers, 2 rugs and a kidney table that are all viable places for any student to complete work. A good classroom is one that can support differentiation in many ways such as seating, learning,comfort and design.
Seating: In my classroom you do not see chairs placed around the two main student tables. The websites design chairs were very large and created a look within the classroom that made it very cramped. This classroom is designed for a class with 12-16 students. The chairs that would be placed around the student tables would be 4 legged chairs that have a little recline in the backs. It would be the choice of the students whether or not they wanted a cushion to put on their seat or not. The seating in the reading corner is all designed to be very comfortable and relaxing so that students can sink in and get lost in a book.
Shelves: Normally I would not think it is important to mention the placement of the shelves in a classroom but in this design they are strategically placed. They are placed on the furthest side of the classroom away from the majority of all the instruction and work. The reason for this is when students are picking out an independent reading book or finding their student folders/binders, they will be away from other students trying to focus on work. This design fosters an environment that helps students focus even when everyone is working on different tasks.
Kidney Table: The kidney table is an excellent tool that can be used to create group activities where everyone feels a part of the group. It is centered around the teacher but all students can see everyone at one time. It creates the ideal conditions for communication during reading groups and other projects.
Carpet Areas: Carpeted areas are amazing places that you can use to build a community and build on the trust within your classroom. These areas can be used to teach lessons, play games, share information and just be all together as a class and build your relationships. It can be very versatile in that students can have a choice of how they want to sit by either bringing over a chair, laying down, sitting on their bottom, standing, etc. Carpets can also serve as a learning tool, especially at the younger ages when learning basic math facts and the alphabet. They can help with organization by having students understanding where they are supposed to sit based on the design of the carpet.
Seating: In my classroom you do not see chairs placed around the two main student tables. The websites design chairs were very large and created a look within the classroom that made it very cramped. This classroom is designed for a class with 12-16 students. The chairs that would be placed around the student tables would be 4 legged chairs that have a little recline in the backs. It would be the choice of the students whether or not they wanted a cushion to put on their seat or not. The seating in the reading corner is all designed to be very comfortable and relaxing so that students can sink in and get lost in a book.
Shelves: Normally I would not think it is important to mention the placement of the shelves in a classroom but in this design they are strategically placed. They are placed on the furthest side of the classroom away from the majority of all the instruction and work. The reason for this is when students are picking out an independent reading book or finding their student folders/binders, they will be away from other students trying to focus on work. This design fosters an environment that helps students focus even when everyone is working on different tasks.
Kidney Table: The kidney table is an excellent tool that can be used to create group activities where everyone feels a part of the group. It is centered around the teacher but all students can see everyone at one time. It creates the ideal conditions for communication during reading groups and other projects.
Carpet Areas: Carpeted areas are amazing places that you can use to build a community and build on the trust within your classroom. These areas can be used to teach lessons, play games, share information and just be all together as a class and build your relationships. It can be very versatile in that students can have a choice of how they want to sit by either bringing over a chair, laying down, sitting on their bottom, standing, etc. Carpets can also serve as a learning tool, especially at the younger ages when learning basic math facts and the alphabet. They can help with organization by having students understanding where they are supposed to sit based on the design of the carpet.