Having an organized, functional classroom can make a huge difference in your teaching career. I have been in classrooms that are majorly cluttered or overly decorated and it can make learning a challenge. You need to keep in mind that some students are easily distracted and your room could possibly be a distraction. Now, that does not mean that you cannot decorate your classroom. I am just saying that you need to think about what you are putting up in your classroom.
I like to keep my classroom very functional. Everything on my walls has a purpose to learning. It is also something I don’t mind the students to look at. I also like to keep my classroom organized. This way, I can easily find everything I need to find and it doesn’t look cluttered, which can also be a distraction.
Here are 6 tips to help you keep your classroom organized and functional. I love to start the school year with a clean, organized room, but you can start this process anytime throughout the school year.
1. Use Bulletin Boards/Wall Space for a Purpose
This is extremely important. I try to keep my walls and bulletin boards in my classroom filled with things that have a purpose. On my bulletin boards in my classroom, I have a calendar, job chart, 6 Traits of Writing, Super Improver Wall, Math Practices, and a CAFE board. I also have the daily schedule posted on the other side of my room.
I like having a calendar for students to reference the month and day, and also any upcoming events or days off. I like keeping the job chart displayed and visible so I can see which student has which job (or even for students to remind themselves of their own job). The 6 Traits of Writing is part of my writing curriculum and it has tips on how to use the traits in writing which I like students to reference during our writing block. The Super Improver Wall is an awesome part of my classroom management. It is a great way to reward students and keep track of positive behavior. The math standard practices are also a great reference for students and while I am teaching math. The CAFE wall has reading strategies on it. I add a reading strategy to the board after I teach it, so students can always reference it.
Whatever you decide to put on your classroom bulletin boards or on your classroom walls, just make sure it is useful to your students!
2. Divide your White Board into Sections
If you use your white board to teach, then leave it blank! I have one white board that I use when teaching that is left blank. I do have an extra whiteboard that I decided to divide into sections. I like doing this to white boards, because I can write and erase things and it is also magnetic.
On this whiteboard, I created a section for Learning Targets. This is a place to write the learning objective for each subject I teach. (Click here to learn more about Learning Targets) I also have a section for the agenda which is where I will write all homework assignments and important information that students need to write in their agenda/planner. I also made a section for the writing process. I put magnets with the student numbers, so students can move their magnet to the what step of the writing process they are on. This is great to always know where each student is quickly.
If you do have an extra white board, consider using it for something in your classroom. This is a great focus wall in my classroom!
TIPS: If you do want to create this white board in your classroom, I used Washi Tape to divide the sections. It easily comes off if you make a mistake or want to change it. I also printed the labels on card stock and put magnet tape on the back so I can move the labels around if needed.
3. Arrange Desks to work with your space
Some classrooms can be really small and when you add in student desks, it can be extremely difficult to walk around. When I arrange my desks, I make sure I can easily walk around and there is enough space for students to sit comfortably and see the board.
I arrange my desks in groups of 4, since I use Cooperative Learning. I leave a big space in the middle of my classroom for a place for my students to sit on the floor for read aloud or number talks. This works out really well in my classroom.
Some other desk arrangements I have seen and like are U shaped desks. I have also seen some teachers keep their desks at one side of the room, while the other side is used for floor space or small group area.
All classroom shapes and sizes are different. Just keep in mind that you can change your students desks up to make it work for your room.
4. Have a section of the room dedicated to small group
Small group is so important in every classroom and every grade. Small group cuts down the student to teacher ratio, so you can more effectively help your students. However you decide to organize your classroom, make sure you have an area to work with a small group of students.
I have a kidney table that I absolutely love! It gives students enough space to work, but they are also close enough to me to hear instruction and I can see what they are working on. If you do not have a table, you can also push some desks together or even just chairs together to work with a small group.
When you dedicate this section of the classroom, make sure you can make it relatively quiet so students can focus on you and not everyone else! I like to have the students in my small group face a wall, so they are not distracted by others. Also, this way I am facing the rest of my classroom so I can keep an eye on my students while I am teaching the small group.
5. Keep used materials in reach
This is another great way to organize your classroom. I like to keep a shelf of my most used manipulatives and materials so I can easily access it. I keep this area near my small group table so I can use it when teaching small group. I also keep a magazine holder for each group that I teach for reading and math. Any manipulatives or papers we are still using go in the holder, so I can easily get it out the next time we have small group.
I also like to keep a shelf behind my desk with all my teaching books that I use. This way, I can easily grab it to lesson plan or teach from. Any materials that I know I will need for upcoming lessons I will put back there as well. Also, I keep any binders and data that I use on the shelf so I can easily access it while working at my desk.
6. Keep shelf space organized
Another organization tip is to keep your shelf space organized in your classroom. I have cabinets in my classroom and I keep all extra materials in there. I like to keep these organized by subject area, so if there is anything I am specifically looking for, I know which cabinet to look in. This really does save a lot of time!
Having an organized and functional classroom will be beneficial to students and the teacher! I hope these tips will help you when decorating and setting up your classroom.
If you want to read more organizational articles, check out these:
7 Essentials for an Organized Teacher Desk
8 Tips to Declutter your Classroom
Thank you for Continually Learning with us!
Kyle and Sarah
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