LEARNING SPACES: A LOOK AT THE CLASSROOM
Facilitating Cooperation and Independence.
The classroom is set up to encourage group work and collaboration between students, while also providing everyone enough personal space. The tables are labeled with colors that match organized buckets of writing and drawing materials. The materials are organized into labeled cubby shelves. Everything in the classroom has its own place. This organization empowers the children to independently set up and clean up the classroom, find materials they need for projects, and helps them to responsibly take care of these communal supplies. |
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The Classroom Library.
The classroom library houses grade-level appropriate chapter books as well as picture books, non-fiction texts, and reference books. The children can freely borrow these books as independent reading choices, to read throughout the day, and to complete independent research. The books are organized by genre, topic, author, or series to help children easily find what they're looking for. Book bin labels are made by the children during the first week of school. This reinforces the children's ownership of the classroom and materials. The library also serves as a quiet space for individuals and small groups of students to work and rest. It's a good place to take a break, or to re-focus after a challenging moment. |
Room for Work and Play.
There are many different spaces throughout the classroom where children can work and play. Having options about where to work helps children get to know themselves as learners as they figure out where they work best. For some children working at a busy table helps them to feel motivated and productive, but for other children, a quiet space in the library nook enables them to focus more deeply. Many children find it comfortable to work on the floor or on the rug using a clipboard instead of a table. This is also a popular choice for working on projects. Towards the end of the year, as we begin building the rainforest museum the third grade classroom is transformed into a workshop. There is a great sense of organized chaos as the children work scattered around the room building and perfecting construction projects for their rainforest. |
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