Classroom Organizational: Making Teaching Easier

An organized classroom is a well run classroom. Many students have trouble learning in a cluttered, unorganized setting. Parents, as well, like to come into a classroom that is well organized and where everything has a place. This is easier said than done in a busy Kindergarten classroom. Kindergarteners like to learn by playing, touching, doing, and feeling. Classrooms can easily become a mess. Classroom rugs and cubbies are a great way to keep a Kindergarten classroom organized. Of course, these methods can be used well beyond the Kindergarten years.

Cubbies

Cubbies are another must have item in a Kindergarten classroom. Whereas older students can mostly keep themselves organized by hanging their items on hooks or putting things away inside desks, Kindergarten students are still learning. For many kindergarteners, school is a brand new experience and they still need help organizing their things. Backpacks, lunch bags, coats, extra clothes, and special stuffed animals can be easily stored in cubbies.

Each cubby can be labeled with the child’s name. All the items belonging to that child as well as the papers and projects they do at school can be placed in the cubby. Cubbies do not take up much room and are a great way to keep everything organized. Parents can easily have access to the cubbies as well when dropping off or picking up students.

Cubbies aren’t just for a student’s belongings. Cubbies are also ideal for organizing classroom supplies such as toys, art supplies, construction paper, art smocks, manipulatives, and more. Many cubbies such as the Mainstream Cubby Units come with pull out plastic bins to make storing that much easier. Cubbies also offer students a way to learn responsibility for their own belongings and their classroom belongings.

Classroom Rugs

Classroom rugs are an ideal way to separate a classroom into sections without using large dividers that make the room look more cluttered. A large rug can fit the entire class and offers restless Kindergarteners a visual boundary. Teachers can instruct students to go sit on the rug and students know immediately where to go, and what the boundaries of the area are, the outline of the rug. In this setting, teachers can do reading time, go over flashcards, or have class discussion time.

In addition to a large classroom rug, adding a few small rugs can be very useful in organizing the classroom. Small rugs are ideal for centers or small group learning. When a small group of students needs to be instructed separately or when the class needs to be broken into reading groups, the small rug is great. There is no need to move chairs or push other items aside to make room. Teachers can just send students to a small area already mark out by a rug.

Themed Areas

• Reading Them: Every teacher wants students to love reading. To promote reading and the discovery of books, setting up a reading themed area is important. When it comes to kids' furniture options for this kind of theme, there are many options. Book displays such as the Single Sided Canvas Book Display are a good choice. Book displays allow students easy access to books. Instead of searching a book shelf, students can see books up close and decide what they want to read based on all the information on the cover. Placing some chairs or bean bags in a reading themed area gives kids a fun place to sit and enjoy books. Teachers can also add some paper, pencils and crayons to this area so students can draw or write about what they just read. A reading themed area is a good way to keep all the classroom books organized.
• Sensory Theme: Having a sensory theme in one area of your classroom gives students a place to get dirty and express themselves through manipulatives. Great items such as sand and water tables offer many opportunities for sensory play. Many tables can be filled with sand, plastic beads, or water giving the teacher many different options. These types of tables come in many different varieties such as small, large or movable such as the See All Sand and Water Center with Casters. Added to a sensory themed area can be blocks. Blocks give students a chance to build whatever they can imagine. Whether building towers, houses, ramps, or their own unique idea, students will love playing with standard unit blocks and other manipulative items in an area designed just for sensory play.
• Art Theme: Kids love art. Whether drawing, painting, or sculpting, art allows students a way to express their unique ideas and show their creativity. Having an art themed area in the classroom, where items such like 3 or even 4 sided easels can be used, is a great way to organize art supplies. Easels give students a chance to display their artwork and allow multiple students to work at once. Teachers can put out a variety of art items such as paint, play dough, crayons, markers, beads, tissue paper and more. Students will feel free to create in an area designed just for art and creative expression.