I know that George Couros (@gcouros) and Karen Lirenman (@lirenmanlearns) have both tweeted and blogged on looking at the why of what we do. This week I have definitely done just that! I spent the week in my new Grade 6 classroom getting ready for the start of school on Tuesday. Starting a new grade has given me a great reason to step back and think about what I want to do and why I want to do it.
So here’s a look at my classroom over the course of the week, and the whys behind the decisions that I made:
1) This is my before shot. When I walked in the room on Monday morning, and saw the pile of furniture at the door, I knew that I needed to get the desks organized. I needed to see the big picture.
Piles, Piles, And More Piles
I decided to put the desks into three large groups. I need at least 30 desks, and I know that all of these big desks and chairs are going to take over the majority of the classroom. I believe in collaboration though, and I want to create the opportunity for students to talk and support each other. I need groups for this! While groups of 10 are large, if needed for specific activities, the groups can always be split apart.
2) I moved the guided reading table over into the back left-hand corner of the classroom, but slanted, so that it looks over the whole classroom. I want a quiet area to work with small groups of students, and moving away from both the door and the moveable wall to my teaching partner’s class next door, will help with this. That being said, I want to be able to see what all students are doing, and this area lets me have the quiet, but also the view of the entire room.
The Physical Layout At The End Of Day 1
3) I created a bank of computers on the wall overlooking the library. I chose this area because my teaching partner has her bank of computers on this same wall in her adjoining room, so when we open up the moveable wall, students can easily collaborate together, even between the classrooms.
Computer Set-Up In Miss Bucciacchio’s Room
I also chose this location because this is where the Internet chord is located. Yes, you can sometimes get it moved, but it’s not an easy thing to do. It made sense to look at these details when figuring out where things were going.
The Bank Of Computers
4) I made a Word Work and reading area at the side of the room near the moveable wall. I chose this area because it was removed from the groups of desks, so I thought that it would be a quieter place for the students to work. I wanted to create a comfy area where students will want to go and learn. Even as an adult, I don’t like to spend my entire day sitting at a desk, and I’m guessing that students feel the same way. Having a variety of furniture that allows students to have some options in their learning space is something that I think is important. Once the students come into the classroom, they can make this area their own, and I’m sure that it will change with student input: something that I definitely want to happen.
A Quiet Word Work And Reading Area
5) At the front of the room, I organized the classroom library. All of the bins are labelled, and the books in each bin have the corresponding label. Yes, I got some chuckles from friends with some of my groupings, such as Books About People or Animals, but I kept these open-ended categories for two reasons:
- general categories allowed me to have fewer categories. I figured the less sorting options, the higher the chance that the books would be sorted correctly. Classroom organization is important to me, as it helps students take responsibility for the classroom. I hope that with this system, the books will still be sorted correctly at the end of the year.
- our first science unit is on Biodiversity, and classification is a large part of this unit. Michelle Fawcett (@michellefawcett), a fantastic Grade 5/6 teacher at a neighbouring school, shared some ways that she introduces this unit. Her suggestions helped me think that students could further classify the books, and then connect to further classifying animals and plants as well. Thanks for the inspiration, Michelle!
Classroom Library
6) This final decision made me think the most: I put a Thinking Book on each student’s desk. It’s not the decision to use the Thinking Books that’s had me thinking so much, but it’s the decision to put the names on the books, and hence, assign the desks. Many people have questioned my decision to do this. They said that Grade 6 students are older, and they need to learn to pick a good place to sit. If they can’t choose a good spot, then explain that they will be moved.
I understand this rationale, but here is why I made the choice that I did:
- I know that if a student needs to move, it’s not going to be as easy as moving just one student. At least one more student is going to need to move to accommodate for this change, and this does not seem fair either.
- I know that students are going to have lots of opportunities to pick where to sit and whom to work with, so my decision to assign desks, does not mean that I am taking away all decision making in the classroom. I want students to have this independence. I am just trying a gradual release of responsibility model.
- Students have various academic and social needs, and pairing the students as I did, allows me to meet these different needs and ensure that all students meet with success. I am in a unique position here: this group of Grade 6′s is actually my first group of JK students at the school. Some of the students I taught in JK and SK. I have continued to interact with them throughout their school years. Other students I worked with through Reading Buddies and other school programs. I think there’s only three students in my class that I have not worked with at one point or another. So even when I created groups, I did so knowing the students well.
- Groupings are only temporary. I am happy to change groups around throughout the year, and I am even happy to let students choose their spots as the year goes on. I want to ensure that they can all make these good choices though. This takes time.
And so as I left the classroom today, here is what I saw:
The Final Shot
a wonderful room that is ready for students to make it their own. I can’t wait until Tuesday. 
How did you organize your classroom? Why did you make the decisions that you did? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Aviva
Looks great Aviva and I love that you’ve thought so much about your why.
Now a couple of things. Today I was visiting @CarrieGelson in her fabulous book filled 2/3 classroom and she got me thinking about my book organization. I’ve always been happy with some of my baskets and less happy with others. This year, when I finally meet my students (you are so lucky to already know so many of yours) I am going to get them to help me sort our class books. Instead of me making the basket categories they are going to help me make the basket categories. That way they will know what we have and where they belong because they will be part of the organization of them. It might be something to consider with your students?
Also, I also assign my students their desks, but not until they have been with me for a few days (and yes it’s different from you since you already know your students). But I move them at the end of EVERY month. They are encouraged to make requests with reasons why, and I often ask them who they’d like to sit with. Desks move easily, and if grade ones can move desk I’m certain your big kids can too. I actually have my students sit on top of the desk of where they will be sitting and once everyone knows where they will be going they move their desks to their new spots. Like you though my students often work in places other than their desks, and when ever necessary (often) they sit in other peoples desks. I have asked for tables to replace my desks.
I’m really looking forward to reading about your adventures with the “big” kids. Karen
Thanks for your comment, Karen! I love what you’re doing with your books this year, and to be honest with you, I thought about this as well. My concern is that I have A LOT to teach, and with rotary, I sometimes only see my students for barely half of the day. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to spend this time organizing books. That being said, the categories are fluid, and if some books need to change categories, or if students want to make another category, I’m okay with that. We have bins, we have labels, and we can make this work.
I am also in favour of moving desks. I’m sure that we will be moving them, and that’s not a problem for me. There are lots of different groupings that the students will be in throughout the year, and these desk groups are only one of them. In the past, instead of moving the desks themselves, I have the students move their belongings from one desk to another. It’s easier and less disruptive to the students underneath us.
Plus, it saves on scratched floors. 
I’m not sure if this is what you do too, but I thought I’d let you know.
Thanks again for continuing to have me reflect!
Aviva
Great post
I like your bank of computers, and especially the funky chair. I’m inspired by you and our other tweeting friend from tonight to make a blog post about my class set up as well. Wish I had more photos to share at this point!
Thanks Michelle! I really like the bank of computers and funky chair too (a student gave me that chair as a gift many years ago). My only concern with the computers are their proximity to the guided reading table. I’m concerned that this will increase the volume in an area where I’d like it to be a little but quieter. I want to see what happens once students start working at them though, and if I need to change things around, I will.
I hope that you do blog about your set-up. You have lots of great pictures and lots of great reasons for doing what you did. Please let me know if you decide to do so. I’d love to read your post!
Aviva
Hi Aviva,
I like the way you set up your classroom and you have valid reasons for doing what you have done. I especially like how you placed the guided reading table so that when you are leading that group you can still see the entire classroom. Good thinking!
After reading Karen Lirenman’s reply, I like that she changes the seating arrangement each month (or regularly) and she accepts input from the students to best accommodate everyone.
Your classroom looks great and I hope you get the results you are hoping for with it.
Karen Plumb
Thanks for the comment, Karen! I like Karen R.’s idea too, and the student input is a wonderful suggestion. I’m sure that I’ll be making changes along the way, but I hope that this set-up helps create a successful year for all students!
Aviva