Strategies On Classroom Management with Arrangement, Structure, Activities, and Organization
Welcome to my blog on classroom structure. My name is Stephanie and I am currently working as a Kindergarten Instructional Assistant. Classroom management is the key to keeping a great classroom as well as a great class. The first thing anyone see is the way a classroom is set up. Classrooms need to be neat and inviting to students and other teachers. The room needs to be organized in a way that makes sense. Materials for students need to be easy for them to get to so that they are able to get up at any moment and get them. Distractions and games need to be further away while journals and math materials should be in a place convenient for students to get to. Desk should be set up in a way that the students are facing the board and materials should be in the middle of the table, allowing the children to grab them at any moment. The classroom structure and schedule should flow and should be the same weekly. Children like to be on a schedule and then develop routines that will in turn help them to succeed.
On a scholastic.com blog (http://blogs.scholastic.com/early_childhood_teacher/classroom_setup/) this was a very interesting post on a writing center in a Kindergarten classroom.
"This year I started a writing center in my classroom and my students can't get enough of it. The writing center is a small circle table near the word wall. I placed the writing center near the word wall so the students can find words on it to use. On one of the first days of school, I had the students gather near the word wall and I shut all the lights off. I had been given a laser pointer and I used it to show the students how the word wall could be used. Now when the students are at the writing center they can use the word wall as an additional resource."
"I organized a shelf near the table that is filled with greeting cards, envelopes, stationary, writing paper, blank paper, stickers, clip boards, stencils, and a mailbox. I had everyone I know saving the supplies
over the summer. I spent many hours in the beginning of the school year organizing this shelf. I have picture labeled baskets so the student know where everything belongs with it comes time to clean up. On the table I have a Lazy Susan that contains crayons, markers, pencils and colored pencils. I also have a small white board where I write words the students could use or hang up picture dictionary pages that go along with our theme."
over the summer. I spent many hours in the beginning of the school year organizing this shelf. I have picture labeled baskets so the student know where everything belongs with it comes time to clean up. On the table I have a Lazy Susan that contains crayons, markers, pencils and colored pencils. I also have a small white board where I write words the students could use or hang up picture dictionary pages that go along with our theme."Not only has she organized this in a kid friendly manner she has made it easy for anyone to walk int the classroom and go to the writing center and start writing. Labeling is also a great way of teacher children more words they they will begin to recognize and read on their own.
In reading many blogs teachers use trail and error when it comes to setting up their classroom. They normally have to try a few things before it works for them and their students. You should always make a draft of your room by first getting the dimensions and then adding all the materials from your room. In an interesting blog from kellyskindergarten.com she wrote down exactly how you should organize your room by labeling. Labeling is an amazing tool because it shows the children exactly where something is and they are able to become independent workers.
|
Classroom
Organization From Kellyskindergarten.com
|
|
Classroom Labels Set 1 (.doc) Classroom Labels Set 1 (pdf) Classroom Labels Set 2
(.doc)
Print and use these labels to organize your
classroom. I print two copies--one set is taped to the shelves and the other set
is used to label the buckets that hold the materials. Labeling the shelves as
well as the buckets makes clean up so much easier...the children know
exactly where the materials belong. |
| Book Basket Labels I use these to label the book baskets in our classroom library. I simply printed them on regular paper and attached them to the bins with packing tape. The letter in the colored circle on the left side corresponds to the colored sticker I put on each book that belongs in that basket. I used AVERY Print or Write Color Coding Label (#05472) to label the books. |
| Classroom Schedule with Pictures These are sized to fit the pocket chart from Target but you could easily make them smaller if you want to post them on your board. In the past I have printed them on cardstock, laminated, and attached them to the board with magnetic tape. |
| Center Rules Use these posters for teaching Center Time rules and procedures. Then post them near your center sign up chart(s). |
| Large Center Signs (Literacy and Developmental) These signs print on a full size sheet of regular copy paper. I like to glue them to sheets of construction paper so that they have colored borders (you can even make these colored borders match your sign up charts--see Monthly Centers page). Post these signs around your room to identify the various center areas. |
| Directions for Creating Your Own Signs and Labels This document provides very easy directions for creating your own large center signs, classroom labels, center sign up pictures, etc using Microsoft Word. You can also use the same techniques to make schedule signs, worksheets, card games, etc. |
Structure and Setting the Tone of the Classroom
The structure of classroom starts on the first day of school when we as a class write rules. Telling the students the rules and displaying them in plain sight allows you and the children to be able to look up at any moment to see them and also to remind the children of them. This video shows the importance of rules within a classroom.
Below is an excellent video of how rules are key to setting structure in a classroom.
"The first Elementary classroom management necessity is structure. You students are in dire need for structure. They need a consist set of class rules, consequences, rewards and routines. This is one of the most important aspects of elementary classroom management - I cannot stress it enough. They key here is consistency. You may have posted rules at the beginning of the school yea. You probably went over the consequences and rewards, but it's how consistent you are with following through that is important to your students.Your students will be looking to you to be dependable. Many people in their lives come and go. They have parents that work multiple jobs and may spend their nights in difference places. They count on you to be there for their to satisfy one aspect of their life. If they cant come to school knowing your there with their best interest in mind, you have lost them from day one."
In this video I found of an older classroom of elementary school students the teacher is going over exactly what to do. This teacher shows an excellent way of structure and consistency, pre-correction/prompting, and finally a chance for the students to respond and then she replies.
