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.