In the article, Classroom Spaces that Work, it discusses making the classroom fit and comfortable for the students.
Choosing desks and chairs that fit the size, placing displays at eye level, creating enough space for pathways to the door and other areas around the classroom, etc .
I have noticed this throughout all of my classroom experiences. When helping set up the desks for the kids we actually used a 3rd grader to measure how tall the desks needed to be. My teacher explained to me the importance of having a desk and chair that was tall enough that they could grow in it but not be uncomfortable while they were growing. We obviously measured the chairs as well and have chairs of different sizes in a different part of the room so they have more to choose from.
In kindergarten our displays were placed around the room in direct eye level of all the students, the closer to the floor the better. The less important displays or ones we didn't discuss on a regular basis were higher up. This made the bulletin boards more accessible for the students, making important information always viewable.
In the Levin and Nolan article they discussed seating arrangements for the students. I did not think that this would be such a difficult thing until my CT asked me to do it for the beginning of the school year. Even now when the seating arrangements are not working out she gives me the chance to change the seats. We started by placing students who were high leveled, low level, ESOL, and average into a single table. We then would look at the behavior aspect of each student and make adjustments. I would have never thought that there was such a process behind seating but, I am glad that I have had the chance to work with the process.
Choosing desks and chairs that fit the size, placing displays at eye level, creating enough space for pathways to the door and other areas around the classroom, etc .
I have noticed this throughout all of my classroom experiences. When helping set up the desks for the kids we actually used a 3rd grader to measure how tall the desks needed to be. My teacher explained to me the importance of having a desk and chair that was tall enough that they could grow in it but not be uncomfortable while they were growing. We obviously measured the chairs as well and have chairs of different sizes in a different part of the room so they have more to choose from.
In kindergarten our displays were placed around the room in direct eye level of all the students, the closer to the floor the better. The less important displays or ones we didn't discuss on a regular basis were higher up. This made the bulletin boards more accessible for the students, making important information always viewable.
In the Levin and Nolan article they discussed seating arrangements for the students. I did not think that this would be such a difficult thing until my CT asked me to do it for the beginning of the school year. Even now when the seating arrangements are not working out she gives me the chance to change the seats. We started by placing students who were high leveled, low level, ESOL, and average into a single table. We then would look at the behavior aspect of each student and make adjustments. I would have never thought that there was such a process behind seating but, I am glad that I have had the chance to work with the process.
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