The arrangement of the room will be adjusted based on the students. Ideally, I would like to have students at small tables. Having small tables or desks clustered into small groups can be beneficial for small group work and can also save space to allow extra space in the classroom for other work areas. This typically works well with primary grades. Students will be seated strategically so any behavior issues will be split up as needed. This can be easily adjusted through the year to fit the class and give all students an adequate learning environment. In my classroom, I would also like to have a classroom library with books and beanbags for cozy and comfortable reading. I will also have a half moon shaped table for small group work with the teacher. Students will have an area to keep take-home folders that will help keep communication with parents. With all of these spaces, the classroom could get very hectic. This is why organization is very important to me. Keeping the classroom organized will be a whole class job and we will share the responsibility.
Managing Student Work
One thing that was beneficial during my six-week student teaching was student cubbies and folders. Each student had a cubby and folder. This worked well because students were able put papers that have been assessed, permission slips and book order catalogs in the folders. The folders are taken home everyday and papers are to be taken out and shared with parents or guardians. I will also have a bin for completed work that has not yet been assessed. This bin will be easily accessible and will be kept in a central spot in the classroom. I will have a designated spot for extra papers when someone is absent. There will also be a spot for students to access work if they are finished with an activity early.
Classroom Procedures and Routines
It is important to quickly establish procedures and routines during the first few weeks of school. These will include routines for using the bathroom, snack time, lunch, packing up for the end of the day and many more. I plan to use many aids such as anchor charts, rhymes, and songs to help students remember procedures. I will also post expectations for stations, carpet time, and small group work around the class on anchor charts to serve as reminders for students. I will set up a means of communication for students when they need to go to the bathroom, such as a sign out sheet or bathroom pass.
Rules and Consequences
I will use rule creation with the class at the beginning of the year. Allowing the class to make their own rules will give them a sense of responsibility to follow these rules. Also, the rules will be easier to remember if the class creates them. If necessary, students will be prompted or teacher will add rules for safety. Along with rule creation, we will set logical consequences. These will be important and we will set them while setting the rules so the se are clear to the students.