It should be clear to anyone who enters where the math center is and what is happening there. This is especially important in a center based room. Once the room has been set and materials placed, label the room. Messy areas like science or art should be close to a sink, if available.Ĥ- Label the Room/Centers. Again, a good test is to sit on the rug after it is placed where you’d like it to be. Is it safe? Is it close? When excusing students to their seats, can they get there without stepping on one another? Make preparation for students with physical needs as well. Think about the flow from one area to the next. Kindergarten teachers will make frequent use of an area rug or meeting area. This can be done by labeling the tables with a color, and have a coordinating color bin for each table to place their supplies. Art materials like scissors, glue and crayons and writer notebooks, word work notebooks, poetry notebooks and so on should clearly identified and near the desk area for minimal movement from one activity to another. One way to test this is to actually sit down in each chair after you have placed them. Desks should be placed in groups or pairs to foster social and intellectual interaction between the children.
Next, think about how to place the desks so that the blackboard or dry erase board is easily visible to all students.
Is there anything between the entrance area and the student’s desk that may be distracting? For example, if Kindergarten students pass the Dramatic Play area when they walk in, they be distracted each morning.ģ- Functionality. When students enter into the classroom where will they go first, next and so on? Ideally mailboxes should be placed near the doorway for easy access at the beginning and end of the day. Sometimes computers must be stationary as well, due to the Internet connection.Ģ- Flow of the Classroom. Consider the stationary things in the room, in other words, the things that cannot be moved like the windows, black board, bulletin boards, sink (if available), outlets and closets. Take an objective view of the physical layout of the classroom. Use these steps to start the year, any time during the year when you need a change, or in years to come.ġ- Consider Physical Layout.