Classroom arrangements help create an atmosphere for learning that is comfortable for students and that aid in classroom management. If staff members are given a standard outline of how a classroom should be arranged, teachers will be on one accord and they will have a common baseline as to how their classes are presented to students and parents. Although each teacher is able to add their own creativity, each class should have a baseline for uniformity.
During my walk through, I noticed that the common classroom setups hosted general education students and unique setups were inclusion rooms or self-contained classrooms for students with Autism. The classrooms were all setup based on the needs of students.
Some commonalities found in the classrooms were computer centers, word walls, and teacher's desks in the far back corners. All of the classrooms have computer centers with at least 2-3 computers. The computers are set up with the screens facing the wall which allow students to use the computers and not distract others. Smart boards are mounted to the chalkboards with a projector and laptop facing them. The teachers
When viewing the classrooms I noticed that most teachers have designated centers for reading, a lounge area for reading, and a word wall. The classroom chairs are set up to allow the teachers to walk through the students with the students facing inward. This is an effective strategy because it gives the teacher access to the students and it integrates the stakeholders. The teacher is not on one end while the students are on the other. Teachers have access to all students and they avoid having a trouble area in the back of the classroom with talkative students.
Classrooms that service students with special needs have visual schedules and less wall decorum. These are the more unique classrooms. As soon as you enter, an obvious difference in the room’s arrangement is noticed. There is one reading table, a sensory area with mats and bean bags, and the desks are separated for each student. These classrooms have less furniture which allows the teacher to have immediate access to students. The walls are mostly bare to avoid distractions and to promote focus on simple tasks. These classrooms also have an open space for students to walk around, jump, dance, and exercise. The unique classrooms display pictures instead of words for schedules and instructions. Classroom items are labeled with pictures and words, and students have pictures along with their names on their desks.
For professional development, staff members can collaborate on effective room arrangements, what systems work, how to accommodate large class sizes, and creating a comfortable inclusion environment. At this particular school there are several inclusion classes for students with Autism. Teachers expressed difficulty in setting up a common classroom for general education students, while keeping in mind the needs of the students with Autism. The inclusion classroom setups are a median between the common and unique classrooms. They are not as busy as the common setups, but they have more decorum than a unique or Autism classroom. They use the visual aids of a unique classroom, but they also use centers, various table setups and all students sit with one partner opposed to the desks being individually placed.
Room arrangements should be based upon a teacher’s preference abiding by standard guidelines. All classrooms should be required to post class rules, the names of adults and students, objectives, exit signs and have standard equipment such as computers, desks, chairs, and tables. The standards can be supervised but I believe teachers should be allowed to arrange their rooms based on what is comfortable for all classroom participants. It should be an environment that encourages learning and teaching. Once all of the standards are in place, a teacher should be creative with the setup of their classroom keeping in mind student needs and classroom management.
