Organizing Classroom and Materials

Ms. Wise uses a tall partition to separate the writing center from the main part of the classroom. What would the best response be if she asked you for feedback on this arrangement?

• You should tell her that it is a good idea because it eliminates distractions while children are writing.

• You should suggest that she remove the partition because it will interfere with her ability to supervise the children.

• You should compliment her on the fact that her room has cozy nooks where children can have some privacy during the school day.

• You should tell her that each teacher has their own style and that she should do what makes her happy.

It’s the end of July, and Ms. Decatur, newly hired, is getting ready to start a job as a second-grade teacher at Martin Elementary School. She excitedly enters her classroom for the first time, thinking about all the different decisions she’ll need to make before school even gets started. It’s overwhelming, but she decides to simply start from the most logical point for establishing a well-managed classroom. Which one of the following activities would you expect to see her do first?

• Developing procedures to ensure student accountability

• Considering the physical space and her instructional expectations, then working to arrange the furniture and supplies

• Reading all the students’ cumulative files so she knows as much as possible about her class before they arrive

• Planning activities for the first day of school, making sure to include a motivating get-acquainted activity

Which of the following is most obviously communicated by a teacher’s room arrangement?

• The teacher’s philosophy of teaching and learning

• Which curricular areas the teacher most enjoys teaching

• Classroom procedures that students are expected to follow

• Expectations for the way the teacher expects students to participate in class

Mr. Becker often has the children use manipulatives during mathematics class. When demonstrating mathematical concepts or showing students how to work with the manipulatives, he typically stands at the front of the room near the board. What is the best place for him to store his manipulatives?

• In a cabinet in the front corner of the room

• On his desk so the children do not abuse the privilege of working with manipulatives

• On a shelf in the rear of the classroom because that is where he keeps all curricular materials

Which of the following is LEAST likely to facilitate classroom visibility?

• Placing furniture so that students can see the board and other instructional displays comfortably

• Making sure that instructional materials (teaching charts, visual aids) are printed or displayed in a font large enough to be seen, even from the back of the room

• Placing students with special needs in seats that are easily accessible, relatively close to the primary instructional area, and relatively free from distractions

• Placing large, heavy books near the bottom of the shelving

Which one of the following recommendations is most consistent with the suggestions for room arrangement given in the text?

• In most classrooms, teachers should arrange student desks in rows facing forward for all activities throughout the year.

• In most classrooms, teachers should plan instructional areas to maximize their ability to monitor students.

• In most classrooms, teachers should make room attractiveness the top priority when preparing the room for the school year.

• In most classrooms, teachers should change the room arrangement frequently in order to relieve monotony and satiation.

Miss Ledermilk is hired to teach fifth grade and sets up her classroom accordingly. She finds out at the last minute that, because of fluctuating enrollment numbers, she is actually going to be teaching first-graders. Fortunately, the room to which she is assigned is not changing; she does not have to pack up all her stuff and move. She knows she’ll have to change materials, books, and wall displays. With regard to her room arrangement, what advice would you give her?

• Don’t spend too much time moving things around. When the kids get here, they can help move things around to make them work smoothly.

• You need to start from scratch. First grade and fifth grade are so different that your room arrangement is going to have to be changed around.

• This might be a good time to re-evaluate your room arrangement. I bet some things can stay where they are, but you may need to reconsider the furniture and its placement.

• Tell the kids that you’re going to treat them like big kids and that you’re going to see how well they do impersonating fifth-graders.

Mr. Li’s pencil sharpener is located near the aquarium and the garbage can. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true in this situation?

• The decision is a good one because students can sharpen their pencils and throw away any trash at the same time.

• The decision is a poor one because students may spend more time than is desirable in the area as they watch the fish.

• The decision is a poor one because generally teachers keep the pencil sharpener and garbage can in different areas of the room.

• The decision is irrelevant because it is solely the teacher’s use and enforcement of rules that affects students’ behavior.

Miss Savage is a first-year teacher. She is extremely excited about setting up her classroom. She goes to the teacher supply store and buys many posters, charts, and displays for her walls. She also spends time making items that she puts up: a “welcome back to school” bulletin board, a calendar, and a place for daily assignments to be posted. She invites you in to view her room a few days before the students arrive; you notice that the walls are virtually covered in engaging print and pictures. When she asks you what you think about her room, what response would reflect principles from the text?

• Any kid would be lucky to be in this room. There is so much to see that it’ll never get boring.

• Your room is appealing, but you might want to take some of the decor back down. It is very stimulating.

• I suggest you hang some mobiles or something from the ceiling. That will give you more display space.

• I think it’s better to have the walls completely blank when the year starts and then add to them as the year progresses.

Marcie is a student in your fifth-grade class, and her best friend Tara is in the classroom directly across the hall from yours. Marcie often gets up and goes to the doorway, ostensibly to use the pencil sharpener or garbage can that are located near the door. You know she’s actually hoping to catch a glimpse of Tara. You suspect that Tara is doing the same thing in her room because you see her at the classroom door frequently. What aspect of room setup is most evident in this scenario?

• Visibility

• Accessibility

• Distractibility

• Differentiation