Top 5 Things for the Classroom

It is so hard to determine what are the necessary items needed to set up a successful classroom. I have compiled a few must have items that I have used every year of teaching. 

Book Bins

I have a classroom set of these book bins and use them for student cubbies or library organization. It works perfect if students platoon and switch classes during the day. They are so easy to label and  keep clean! 

Shoe Organizer

I started using this item when I was in a classroom with very limited counter space. I have two hanging in my classroom now. Each spot is labeled with a number. Students put their water bottles in their pocket. The second shoe organizer is for headphones. Nothing makes me crazier than seeing headphone cords all over the floor. I was looking for a solution to keep headphones safe and accessible. Similar to the water bottles, each student is assigned a space to store their headphones. Works like a charm!

Classroom Doorbell

Save your voice and use this instead to get your student's attention. Every year I let my class decide which chime they like. I use this bell to get their attention during independent time and to signal time for a rotation switch. 

Table Caddies

Table Caddies are the easiest way to have supplies available for your students. You can store markers, crayons, pencils, expo markers, etc... At the end of the year, put them in the dishwasher and they are as good as new. 

Lanyards

Lanyards are great for so many reasons. I use lanyards in my classroom for bathroom/water passes, lunch tags, and ways to sort my students into partners. They can be used for so many things and can be reused year after year. 

Classroom Set Up

It’s that time of year that teachers start posting their Pinterest worthy classroom pictures. It is easy to be envious and spend a lot of money on décor. I have found that my favorite classrooms have been ones with simple color schemes and have been built with my students. I think it is important to think about your students and their needs as you set up the room. I imagine it as I set up the base layer and when my students arrive they help add the icing. 

When deciding how to set up a classroom it is important to not jump right away to the fun decorating. Below is the guideline I follow when setting up my classrooms. 

1. Layout the classroom

It makes sense to start with the big furniture first. Think of the big areas in the classroom that you will need like your whole group teaching area, classroom library, small group area, and cooperative learning spaces or desk arrangements. I teach kindergarten/first grade which is why I do not use individual desks and instead us tables. If you do have desks in your classroom, it is important to decide how the desks will be arraigned. Sometimes I draw a quick sketch of the room and where I plan to place things so that once I get to school, I have an idea of what to do. 

2. Organize your cabinets

Now that you have the large pieces of furniture in place, you can bring in all of your boxes of materials. I try to determine which supplies my students should have access to and which materials are to be put away. Plan for where you will store extra school supplies that will be brought in.

It may seem like you have made a bigger mess than when you started but try to finish one category or cabinet before you move on to another spot in your room. My first year I was so overwhelmed when I moved in that I didn't take the time to go the the closet and cabinets before I set up the rest of my room. I found that I needed to reorganize all the closets before winter break because I didn't take the time in the beginning of the year. 

3. Organize your class library

Find out if your school requires books to be set up a certain way or if it is up to teacher discretion. I usually follow our districts requirement of labeling books by their levels but also put out books by categories. Each month I also put out subject specific books based on what we are studying at the time. Each book that is organized by level has the letter written on the book. Each book that is organized by category has a label inside the front cover that matches the label on the book bin.

Examples: 

4. Set up your teacher space and small group area. 

My “desk” and small group area are the same thing. It is important to think of what materials you will need easy access to at your small group table. I typically need expo markers, white boards, magnetic letters, pencils, pens, alphabet charts, bins for each reading group, and unifix cubes for math. 

5. All the finishing touches.

Now is the fun part where you can add the finishing touches such as bulletin boards and decorations. Be sure to leave plenty of empty wall space for you and your students to fill with student work. 

Classroom Jobs for Everyone

Why do we have classroom jobs?

Classroom jobs have been an central part elementary classrooms for many years. There at a lot of different structures and formats for them. I have found that it is a structure to include all students in the classroom community. Each student has an important role that benefits their classroom family. In Conscious Discipline framework, it is important that each child has a job in the classroom to help build community. When a student is absent, we notice the impact they have on the community. I start out by introducing the jobs during our morning meetings and demonstrate what each job looks like. The second week of school is when I begin to implement the jobs. You will find that after a few weeks the students will know what each job looks like and how the job impacts that classroom. A few questions students should be able to answer is:

How does my job help this classroom?

Why having a job is meaningful?  

The first step is to make a list of all the needs you have in your classroom. List out the routines and needs that keep your classroom running smoothly.  Then assign jobs to each of those tasks. I have found it helpful to also jot down a description of what each job entails. It is okay to have more than one student assigned to each job.

Here is a list of the jobs I will be using in my classroom this year:

·        Line Leader (x 2)  - These students leads the class to different activities

·       Caboose (x 2) - These students make sure we are all in line.

·       Door Holder  - This student holds the doors for classmates as we transition throughout the building

·       Electrician - This student turns the lights on and off in the classroom

·       Germ Patrol -This student gives hand sanitizer to each student before eating snack

·       Snack Helper  - This student carries the snack basket to recess and passes out snack

·       Mail Carrier - This student delivers any paperwork to the front office or other teachers

·       Librarian - This student is responsible for the library being neat and organized

·       Gardener - This student waters the plants throughout the room

·       Tech Assistant - This student helps plug in the ipads and checks that headphones are put away after centers

·       Classroom Greeter - This student welcomes guests into the classroom and explains what we are learning

·       Calendar Helper - This student leads the class in the days of the week and months of the year activities

·       Song Selector - This student selects the songs we use for our brain breaks

·       Weather Helper - This student helps identify and graph the weather for each day

·       Supply Manager - This student helps pass out any supplies during an activity

·       Recycling - This student carries the recycling to the large bin in the hallway on Thursdays

·       Pencil Sharpener - This student gathers and sharpens the pencils at the end of the day

·       Clean Up Cop (x 2) - These students are responsible for sanitizing the tables at the end of the day

·       Substitute  -  This student fills in when another student is absent and unable to complete their job

How to display the jobs?

It is important to display the jobs in a location where all students are able to access it throughout the day. As teachers, we have so many other things to remember throughout the day that it is almost impossible to remember the job assignments for each student. By displaying the jobs in a central location, students are able to take the initiative to find their job assignment on their own if they forget. In the past I have used magnets on the board, envelopes with popsicle sticks, and pocket charts. My classroom now doesn’t have much board space so I use a pocket chart on the wall.

How often are jobs changed and how are they assigned?

It is important to change up the jobs frequently enough so that each student is able to have each job at least once. I change my jobs weekly by moving the names down one spot. This ensures that everyone has an opportunity completing each job and it is one less thing for me to have to keep track of. Every Monday I read the new job assignments during our morning meeting. I know some teachers in the older grades have students fill out a little application for the job they think they would be good at. That is another idea to help students take the jobs seriously. They change the jobs less frequently due to the amount of work from the applications.

Click Here for Classroom Jobs

This file contains 30 different jobs as well as blank/editable jobs to meet the specific needs of your classroom.

There are 4 different themes included:

• Wood
• Blue and Green
• Rainbow Colors
• Black and White

Throw Back Blog Post

As August is quickly approaching and we are seeing so many posts about setting up and decorating the perfect classroom, I had to reflect on my past teaching experience in a mobile trailer. We were in transition during the redevelopment of the neighborhood. The best solution to keep our program up and running for our students was to use two construction trailers. Yikes! While this was not a public school, I still felt the pressure to make my classroom Pintrest perfect for my students. What I quickly learned was that it doesn't matter how pretty a room looks. It is truly the feeling your students have when they walk in the room that matters. We collaborated together to make our room a home away from home.

This is a post from a previous blog that is no longer active (February 23, 2013):


To say that I despise the trailers is an understatement. Nobody should ever have to work in a building that shakes when the wind blows, leaks when it rains or snows, thin walls that do not block any noise, and one bathroom that is only in working condition 1/3 of the time. Just recently we learned that the windows can be broken just by pounding a fist on the glass. We are very secure! The drama of the trailer has added so much stress to everyone's job at South Lincoln. We have a heightened need for security and have to be extra positive in front of the kids about the situation.  If we were all in one trailer that would be fine but the kids go back and forth between two trailers for their different classes. In one trailer is the main office, social emotional class, and computer lab. In the other is the tutor room, my office, and my "classroom". On a nice fall day this is no problem but lets face it, we live in unpredictable Colorado where the weather is always changing. Just yesterday when we had a snow storm. I saw kids one by one fall down and knock each other over like bowling pins trying to walk up the icy ramp into trailer #1. It was hard not to laugh at some of the kids who were trying to ice skate on it and immediately ate it. I warned them! Disclaimer: Nobody was hurt while ice skating. What was i supposed to do, stop teaching so I could shovel??

Anyway, I have done my very best researching countless hours on pinteret on how to make my hallway of a room feel like a classroom without spending much money. I couldn't use any fun furniture because we can barely fit three white tables and 20 chairs as is. In the corner I have two tiny tall bookshelves to hold our "library" and classroom materials. I have used countless packs of 3m tape since we are unable to staple, pin, or attach things to the walls in any other manner. The trailers have to be returned in the same condition that they were when we got them. HA! Packing in over 90 kids a day in two trailers daily is not going to work. The first day it snowed the carpet was destroyed. Below is a picture of what the classroom currently looks like. I think it still looks bare but the kids love it. They love to see all of their work posted up all over the classroom. The take ownership of their work when they know it will be posted or hung up for everyone to enjoy. I teach K-5th grade literacy so work from all different grades are included. I think it helps kids know what will be expected of them the next year. Take that Lakeshore and every other over-priced teacher supply stores that charge teachers way too much for a silly posters. The power of student work makes a classroom a home!

DIY Crate Seats

Materials Needed

Crate

Spray Paint

¼ inch Plywood cut to fit the inside lip around the storage crate

2 inch Foam

Fabric

Staple gun

Velcro

I have used crate seats in my classroom for many years. They are easy to store and inexpensive to make. There are so many deals and coupons out there to help cut costs.After 3 years of a jungle theme, I decided it was time for an update.

Yikes these crates have seen better days! Time for an update. 

First you need to find some crates. They can be found at stores like Target, Big Lots, Walmart, etc… The crates I use are actual milk crates from a previous job. They were going to be thrown out so I decided to put them to good use. If you are going to spray pain them, make sure to buy spray paint that is made for plastic. I used Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch from Home Depot.

2. Have ¼ inch thick plywood cut at a home improvement store. I went to Home Depot and they cut the plywood for free. I’m sure other hardware stores do this as well.

3. While the paint is drying you can start on the seat. Trace the foam to be the same size as the plywood. 

*Look for awesome coupons at Joanns Fabric. I was able to get this foam for 70% off! 

4. Place the fabric right side down. Then stack the foam and plywood. Measure 2 inches from each edge. Cut the fabric out. 

5. Using the staple gun, fold the 2 inches of fabric and staple into the plywood. Make sure to pull evenly from each side just like you would wrap a present. Before stapling the corners, fold the edges into a triangle to keep the corners neat.

6. Place Velcro on the edges of the crate and the matching part to the cushion. Push down to connect the two. I found that the velcro worked really well to hold everything in place. 

I can't wait to use these in my classroom this year!

Flexible Seating

Before I started this blog post, I wanted to say that flexible seating is not for every teacher, student, or classroom. That is okay! If I had flexible seating with my group of students three years ago, I might have walked away from teaching right on the spot. Luckily, I didn’t. When I do have a group of students that are able to handle it, flexible seating has been amazing. I have been flooded with all kinds of questions about how I implement flexible seating in my classroom. I have compiled many of the questions along with my answers.

My students love being able to pick where they work best! Flexible seating is also great for group work. 

How do you introduce flexible seating to your students?

I have always started flexible seating the first day of school. Each year I start out with all my students’ names on name plates. As they come to school each day, they put their name plate on a different seat. They attached with tiny pieces of Velcro. I do this for three reasons.

1. Students in kindergarten might still need a model on how to spell their name correctly.

2. It allows students to explore all the different seating options in the room.

3. There is an incentive to getting to school on time. My students pick their seat as they walk into the classroom.

I do this method for the first few weeks which allows my students to explore all the different options and learn where they work best. Do not plan for this to work magically the first day. Some students will need more guidance on how to sit correctly on each seat and how we take care of our classroom. My one rule with flexible seating is that Miss Arnold can move anyone at anytime if they are not using their seat correctly or if they are distracting students around them.

I stress self-awareness. The students are responsible for finding what feels best for them and what kind of seating will make them the best learner. Once they understand what type of seat helps them learn the best, I allow my students to move to different seats throughout the day based on the activity. They no longer need their name plate to select their seat first thing in the morning.

Did you have a problem with students arguing over seating options?

Luckily in the primary grades there is so much movement throughout the day, there was always an opportunity to sit at a first-choice spot. I taught my kids to say “oh well, maybe next time” if the spot was occupied before they picked it. If there continues to be arguing over one area in the classroom, those seats might be put in the closet for a while until we are able to handle it again. Last year I had to put the stability balls in my closet because they were too much fun to bounce on. Many of my students had a hard time using them correctly. One thing I did find interesting was that seats I had anticipated as being the most popular were often the last ones picked. This past year the top choices were lap desks and the lowered tabled. The year before, my students wanted nothing to do with sitting on the ground. It’s important to feel the vibe in your classroom and modify if needed.

Do you have any challenges with students choosing to sit next to their friends and getting distracted?

Like I stated in a previous question, my one rule with flexible seating is that Miss Arnold can move anyone at anytime if they are not using their seat correctly or if they are distracting students around them. Once you move a student once, they learn quickly to make a better choice the next time. There are no warnings or punishments, they simply are asked to move their seat. My students enjoy sitting next to their friends but are also very aware of making the best choice for their learning. I feel that incorporating student choice into the room has helped them take more ownership in their learning.

I change my room around based on the needs of my students. There is not just one way to do flexible seating. 

How do you do direct instruction?

Majority of my direct/whole group instruction is done from our carpet. I do have assigned seats on the carpet because I strategically place students who would work well together for a turn and talk. There are a few exceptions each year when a student might need to sit at a lowered desk or a seat with bands throughout the instruction.

Where do your students keep their materials?

On each table there are general supplies for all students which include markers, crayons, and colored pencils. I also have supplies available to all students in my room including glue sticks, scissors, and expo markers. My students keep all of their personal learning materials such as book bags, pencil boxes, folders, and journals in magazine book bins. This allows them to bring their supplies with them to any seat in the classroom.

 

Pencil boxes and book bins help keep everything organized in the classroom. I bought both from amazon. Another option is to create a project on Donors Choose. 

Where did you buy/find everything that you use for flexible seating?

Flexible seating does not have to be an expensive endeavor. Many of the options can be used with items you might already have in your classroom.

This year I plan to use:

·         Stools - IKEA

·         Scoop chairs - Big Lots

·         Lap desks -  Hobby Lobby

·         Stability Yoga Balls -  Target

·         Milk crates- DIY

·         Pillows – Fabric from Joanns Fabric

·         Book Bins -  Really Good Stuff

 Low tables- Just remove the legs from a regular desk/table

What has been the most difficult part of transitioning from tradition to flexible seating?

I’ll admit that I have a Type A personality. I like to be in control.  The hardest part of switching from tradition to flexible seating was giving up control and allowing my students to explore and make their own choices. There were days where it was difficult, and I was ready to go back to traditional seating but for the most part it has been a great experience. I find that my students are more flexible in general when they feel they have a choice in their learning.

*The pictures are from a few different years in my classroom. I don't change a lot but add new seating arrangements as I find them. 

Here are some links to other resources about flexible seating:

https://www.educationworld.com/how-much-should-your-classroom-flex

https://www.weareteachers.com/best-flexible-seating-options/

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/flexible-seating-student-centered-classroom-kayla-delzer