Classroom arrangement is another major factor, when it comes to successfully managing a class. How desks and groups are ordered can result in either positive or negative solutions for the teacher and students.
- 11-year classroom teacher, Angela Watson, created the Cornerstone. Presently a consultant for educators, Watson created the Cornerstone blog, which hosts webinars on how to effectively manage behavior in the classroom. Watson's blog is full of free resources that can be beneficial for all educators such as, but not limited to, how to work with parents as partners, homework advice and insight on core subjects like math and language arts. All are needed to be prosperous in the classroom and the organization and décor of the environment should not be ignored. From my time learning, observing and working in the classroom, I have come across settings that succeeded and failed. Watson offered great strategies to arrange a classroom so that both students and the teachers can profit.
➢ Examples
that Support Successful Learning Environments:
- Watson offers solutions for teachers who struggle with bare walls. Quick and easy bulletin boards, that can be utilized the entire year, are highly beneficial. An advocator for changing bulletin boards once a month myself, Watson also explains how such energy could be placed within the classroom.
- Arrangement of desks –
o
o Stadium seating is useful because teachers can keep an eye on all of their students and the students can all see the teacher. But this is less effective when more than two rows are used and it's harder to get to students.
o o Horseshoe seating is useful because many desks can be placed in a small space and it's easy to do partner work. Group work, on the other hand, is hard to manage, with this seating.
o o Grouping students together not only saves space but encourages cooperative learning. With this, there's the fear of having too much socializing which will distract students.
- Creating a comfortable classroom -
o Watson
suggests ways to create a cozy classroom for students.
o Many educational experts
believe that the classroom belongs to the student and how they react to their
environment highly effects their learning.
o o Watson's ideas were not only
interesting but cost effective.
o She suggested ways teachers can decorate their
room, when on a low budget, such as having their students make decorations. This, in turn, can also be a lesson.
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