I’m so excited to share my classroom space for 2017/18 with you all! Get ready for a visual journey! (At the bottom of this post is a video version of the tour if you’d rather watch than read.)
Here is the view standing in the hallway. The wreath by my door is made with pencils. It was a super fun and easy craft. I also paper crafted the welcome sign above my doorway.
I failed to take a photo of my main coat area. There are 24 hooks in that space. Then, I have 6 coat hooks that are off on one side. I love that this gives me an option for students with sensory needs or allergies to keep them out of the hustle and bustle. Each student gets a bin to keep their mitts, toque, lunch kit, etc in. The bins above are for library books, a pencil case, and ongoing work. As my classroom is fully flexible seating students do not have a desk space to keep their items. The bins above serve as that space for them. Once I have my class list, I’ll label all of those items for kiddos.
You can also see my positive notes board in this image as well. I’ve written all about how that works here. All of the borders used in my classroom are from Creative Teaching Press.
I’m trying something new this year… Epic Failures. This idea comes from A.J. Juliani and ties into Genius Hour (or Personal Inquiry as I prefer to call it). Whenever we (students or myself) fail, it will be written on a sticky note and placed up on the board. The thought behind it is that by celebrating failures we are normalizing it and helping to students to learn to take risks more freely.
To the left of the coat hooks shown in the image above, is our washroom. I’m so fortunate to have a washroom right in the classroom. It’s been a game changer for sure! Kids don’t have to ask to use it, they just go. At the beginning of the year we talk about when it’s appropriate to get up and go, and when it isn’t. I love the freedom it allows us all. No more guided lesson interruptions!
No space is off limits for decorating. I added this bit of vinyl to the mirror in the bathroom.
A view of my classroom standing at the coat hooks. I’ve got a range of seating options including traditional desks and chairs, standing tables, kneeling spaces, crate seats, fitballs, and carpet space.
Here is another view from the sink area. You can see my big, bright windows in this shot. I love overlooking the playground.
Above my sink area is the Canadian flag and anthem. We sing O Canada every morning. This has really helped students to become more respectful and confident when singing the anthem in assemblies. Previously, I felt students didn’t know the words, didn’t know how to stand, or even why we sang the anthem.
My math items are above my two main whiteboards: a numberline to 100, six 3D shapes, and tens frames from 0-10.
Below the whiteboards are some anchor charts that are referred to frequently. I use “Class? Yes!” from Whole Brain Teaching. Beside that are my attentive listeners/powerful speakers and voice levels charts. These are explicitly taught during the first few days of school.
Beside those whiteboards is my 6 Traits of Writing area. As we learn about a trait, a new piece is placed under the appropriate category. Over time this board becomes a large rubric for students to self assess with. If you want to know more about how I use this board, it’s all written in this post. The blank space on the left is for mini anchor charts of whatever we’re learning about (figurative language, speech writing, etc.) The “What Do Writers Write?” pencil can be found here. You can see a bit of my Zones/self regulation pieces to the right of the board. I add to this as the year goes on.
Another whole class view, this time from my desk space.
My class library/duotangs area. As students don’t have a desk to put everything in, duotangs are held back here. Even if they had their own desks, I would use this strategy. I can’t stand the overflowing desk with crammed papers. One of the many perks of flexible seating!
I have WAY more books than are out at one time in my library. A few times through the year I change out books to keep it fresh. I’ve labeled the books with an image that matches the bin they belong in. This has almost entirely removed the issue of books being put back in the wrong location!
Finally, my Hello Kitty friends (I love her and have been gifted a few over the years. Many are in my scrapbook room at home, but a few grace the shelf in my classroom). They guard the fidget bin!
Watch the video tour for some additional details!
I’d love to hear from you! What tips do you have for keeping organization manageable?
Want to get your classroom library organized? I’m sharing a set of classroom library labels to get you up and running! Follow the button below to get your copy.
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nice post