Every so often there comes a moment in teaching when you have the energy and clarity to update the learning environment. I welcome moments such as these and look forward to the work I'll do this morning to complete that update. What will I do?
Reorganize student supplies and materials
There are many supplies that students use regularly and making those supplies easily accessible creates a more streamlined, supportive classroom environment. Those supplies include the following:
- White boards, markers, and erasers
- Colored pencils
- Markers
- Sticky Notes
- Graph Paper, plain paper, lined paper, colored paper, cardboard
- Chromebooks
- Glue Sticks
- Tape
- Popsicle sticks
- All kinds of containers in all kinds of sizes
- Envelopes, stationary
- Dice and other math tools and manipulatives
- Staplers
- Clear sheets
- Notebooks
- Legos, K'nex, Lincoln Logs, and other building and play materials
- Clay
- Pizza Boxes, plastic bottles, and other STEAM supplies
Get rid of old books and materials we no longer need
I'll hunt for a new place to store these materials in order to make more space in the classroom.
Teacher supplies
With no desk, I need to rethink where I'll place the few teacher supplies I need regularly. Right now most of these items are located in an old canvas bag, but I'll likely move them to a supply caddy that sits behind my overhead projector.
Student displays and teaching/learning reference materials
I want to reorganize the hallway displays which include wonderful student writing, a reference timeline, posters, and maps so that we make space for students' past-present-future timelines, timelines completed with the wonderful support and teaching of our tech teacher as part of our effort to teach the new social studies standards and primary focus which is that the past affects the present and future.
Giveaway Box
I'll likely find a number of items for the giveaway box, a box students may use as they complete Global Cardboard Challenge arcade games for our spring playground festival.
Making space for an hour and a half big clean up on a Friday morning works well since a relaxing weekend lies ahead as well as the student teacher take over week, a week where she deserves an organized room. Onward.