The way you, as a teacher, plan out a classroom is more important than you might think. The way the classroom is mapped out directly affects the way the children respond to certain activities. It is crucial to know your class, and plan out the best way to set up your class based on how the students are “wired.” Through doing a lot of research on classroom floor plans, I understood how different each classroom could look. The way that the classroom is set up is why a lot of people respond to school the way that they do. In order to have our students have a positive outlook on class, and have an effective classroom, it is vital for us to set up our classrooms to the best way possible.
In researching my articles, I found a lot of information about the collaborative classroom. In the article titled “The Expandable Classroom,” the author was trying to convince teachers that movable wall solutions create flexible learning spaces that provide an ideal complement to technology-based education. I found this article very interesting, especially because I had a lot of connections to make with my EDU 250 class. The author said that expandable walls create more space in the classroom, which leads to little/no distractions. Learning needs to be highly flexible and adaptable, especially in the classroom. Teachers really should take into consideration this idea of a “movable” classroom. While it may be risky, according to this article, the results have been positive. The other article that I researched was titled “Maximizing Investment.” In this article, the author evaluates furniture in new terms, which helps maximize the return on an education institution’s investment. In this, the author stresses the fact that the furniture needs to make and meet the curriculum demands. Furniture supports students’ bodies and enables teachers to incorporate new learning approaches. Furniture can either enhance or detract from a curriculum’s impact on learning. To enhance students’ ability to learn, you must evaluate seating for its ergonomic design, as how much it enables students to move while seated. Complete furniture customization for each student is not realistic, but choices are available that can create a more personalized fit. These two articles really encouraged teachers to get to know their students and base the classroom layout on their behavior and learning styles.
Through researching classroom layouts, I compared the research that I found to what a classroom really looks like. This year, I am in a Kindergarten classroom at Medina Elementary. My teacher teaches in a portable, so she does not have much room to work with. The main colors in the class are red, blue, green, and yellow. There are pictures and words and student artwork all over the wall. The board is the main focal point in the classroom. There is a large rug in the center where the children spend most of their class time. Also, the desks are grouped into pods. I believe that this is effective as long as the students are sitting with people that they do not get distracted by, and also that they work well with. It is crucial to make sure that your classroom is set up in a way that best suits your students. It is, in fact, their learning environment. Make the most of the way your classroom is set up.
In researching my articles, I found a lot of information about the collaborative classroom. In the article titled “The Expandable Classroom,” the author was trying to convince teachers that movable wall solutions create flexible learning spaces that provide an ideal complement to technology-based education. I found this article very interesting, especially because I had a lot of connections to make with my EDU 250 class. The author said that expandable walls create more space in the classroom, which leads to little/no distractions. Learning needs to be highly flexible and adaptable, especially in the classroom. Teachers really should take into consideration this idea of a “movable” classroom. While it may be risky, according to this article, the results have been positive. The other article that I researched was titled “Maximizing Investment.” In this article, the author evaluates furniture in new terms, which helps maximize the return on an education institution’s investment. In this, the author stresses the fact that the furniture needs to make and meet the curriculum demands. Furniture supports students’ bodies and enables teachers to incorporate new learning approaches. Furniture can either enhance or detract from a curriculum’s impact on learning. To enhance students’ ability to learn, you must evaluate seating for its ergonomic design, as how much it enables students to move while seated. Complete furniture customization for each student is not realistic, but choices are available that can create a more personalized fit. These two articles really encouraged teachers to get to know their students and base the classroom layout on their behavior and learning styles.
Through researching classroom layouts, I compared the research that I found to what a classroom really looks like. This year, I am in a Kindergarten classroom at Medina Elementary. My teacher teaches in a portable, so she does not have much room to work with. The main colors in the class are red, blue, green, and yellow. There are pictures and words and student artwork all over the wall. The board is the main focal point in the classroom. There is a large rug in the center where the children spend most of their class time. Also, the desks are grouped into pods. I believe that this is effective as long as the students are sitting with people that they do not get distracted by, and also that they work well with. It is crucial to make sure that your classroom is set up in a way that best suits your students. It is, in fact, their learning environment. Make the most of the way your classroom is set up.