Do you know how to make a learner centered environment? How much time do you spend decorating your classroom? Do you stress over your theme and classroom environment? Have you ever though that you spend hours decorating instead of planning lessons?
I don’t and I want to give you permission to step away from Pinterest and do what is best for students not what looks prettiest!
📌 THIS IMAGE FOR LATER
I have always wanted to provide the optimal setting for learning and research talks about the best classroom design. Check out this article To Foster Productivity and Creativity in Class, Ditch the Desks!
What do I do to make a learner centered environment?
The students use the room as they see fit; there are no assigned desks. Yes, there are areas and work spaces that are used to make rule following easy but the room is ours! We work, move, and share around the room, and we sometimes drift into the hallway! Shhh…don’t tell!
I always played school and wanted to be a teacher! Once it happened, I realized my desk was a storage place for almost everything. It was much easier to stack things on top of the desk especially as the day went on and “crazy” happened.
So I do not have a desk. Can you find my desk in the picture???? I didn’t “ditch the desk” but it morphed!
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| Soon to be Listening Center in front! |
Here is:
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| OUR CAVE!
A light up box under the desk! The top of the desk has become the writing center. The students stand to write. Now I never have a problem of students falling out of their chairs.
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SO my classroom philosophy of classroom design:
1. Make special areas for students to work.
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| Small seating area near the writing center
The large blank wall will eventually include my rhyming posters for writing along with our writing descriptors and check lists. Students need to be able to move and decide the best possible seating for their learning. Check out some Brain Research for Learning for more ideas.
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2. Keep things neutral and let the lessons spark the interest.
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| Reading tables
All those blank cupboards will develop as the class grows and becomes a family. Classroom art work and student led displays will make it like our homes.
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3. Supplies and materials emerge as the community in our classroom emerges.
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| Fine Motor and Word Work
It has only has puzzles and Potato Heads on the shelf right now! Eventually, materials will replace and switch with these as the year progresses. Do not place things out until the students understand how to use each thing. Direct, explicit instruction has to happen for use of material along with curriculum
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Check out the other interesting areas in our room!
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| Pretend Center |
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| Soon to be Science & Art |
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| Classroom Library |
Another article I found helpful was 3 Quick Tips for a Beautiful, Brain-Friendly Classroom.
Make sure to go check out my store, Debora Marines TeachMagically for more resources for learners!
Here’s where you can find me:
Make everyday magical,
Debora from Teach Magically
I always love to see classrooms. The goodie I got from yours is the light box. Great idea. See you around. Kathleen Kidpeople Classroom
The light box is new to me this year and so easy to make! Christmas lights and a transparent box, tad-ah!