As a teacher, you know that a well-organised classroom is essential for a successful school year. But with all the other demands on your time, it can be hard to know where to start. Never fear! We’ve got some easy tips to help you get your classroom in tip-top shape.
- Give each student a designated space. Personalising each student’s space will make them feel more comfortable and encourage them to take pride in their work area. Make sure every student has a spot to hang their backpack, store their materials, and sit during group activities. If possible, consider assigning students cubbies or desks instead of open spaces on the floor. That way, students will have a place to call their own and won’t have to worry about their belongings getting lost or misplaced.
- Put up clear signage. We can’t stress enough how important it is to label everything in your classroom—shelves, bins, drawers, you name it. Students (especially younger ones) will be much more likely to put things away correctly if they can easily see where everything goes. Colour-coding can also be helpful in this regard; for example, assigning one colour for art supplies and another for books. This will make it even easier for students to know where things go and put them away properly when they’re finished using them.
- Encourage students to help out. One of the best ways to keep your classroom organised is to enlist your students’ help! Ask students to pitch in at the beginning and end of each day by putting away materials, wiping down surfaces, and straightening up any areas that look messy. You could also delegate specific tasks to certain students on certain days; for example, one student could be responsible for feeding the class pet while another collects library books from the shelves. Not only will this teach kids the importance of taking care of their environment, but it will also give them a sense of ownership over their classroom space.
With these simple tips, you’ll have your classroom organised in no time! Creating a designated space for each student, putting up clear signage, and involving students in the upkeep of the classroom will go a long way towards maintaining an orderly and inviting learning environment all year long.
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Olaf Surtees has been with Penstripe for ten years; what he doesn’t know about teacher planners, student planners, and lesson planners isn’t worth knowing! He’s in charge of creating our blog content, helping teachers and administrators with helpful hints and tips, as well as our socials — see the links below to find out more.
