Classroom Tour 2020

This is my third year in my room, and I haven't changed too much this year from last.
I have my classroom pretty much the way I want it and find I am just refining things these days, as well as adding a few flexible seating options.

This is the view as you enter my classroom. I currently have the desks in groups, but this changes every 3-5 weeks, as well as the position of other furniture in the room.

I love keeping my windows clear. This helps to bring in more natural light and make the room feel more spacious. The only times I put work on the windows is for the school open night.

I am lucky enough to have a lot of storage space, but I keep it all along the back wall to maximise floor space.

In the middle, you can see the high table that I added last year as part of trialing flexible seating. I use a traffic light system in my class for seating: green light - they can sit where they like; orange light - start at your desks and we will move after I have explained the activity; and red light - stay at your normal desks. This is working well for me after trialing complete free seating in Term 4 of last term, and not loving it. (This was due to many factors, such as having to still keep all 16 of my normal desks and not having the biggest classroom in the world).

The banners along the back wall usually mark the work that is under them but at the beginning of the year that hasn't really applied. I love having the banners because they fill that space at the top of the room, meaning I don't have to get up on a ladder to swap work out etc. all the time.

I save all the rest of my bulletin boards for student work.

On this storage unit, I have my class library on the bottom. I keep another pile of books in a cupboard for swapping out in the second semester. Next to that is my class set of whiteboards, that are used daily.

On top of that is all my maths supplies, mental maths sorts and Lego. One day I might give them all cute labels, but for now, they are what they are.

On the very top, I have 3 storage containers that hold filing cabinet files. In them, I have all my resources that don't fit in a lever arch file, which are mostly laminated resources.

My small collection of lap desks sits next to that unit.

Do you like my Rainbow Tray Labels? These rainbow labels are perfect for student trays but can be used to label anything! Download your FREE labels below! 

On this shelving unit, I house some smaller version of those filing cabinet storage containers and all my resources in files. I keep most of my stuff at home and just have at school what I use all the time. The rainbow files hold all of my Sharp Reading texts for guided reading.

Would you like to download my Guided Reading Display FREEBIE? Click the link below! 

On the bottom shelf I have my prize box (far right), then my two borrowing boxes where students can borrow any items they need. Next to that are my Reading Comprehension booklets that go with the Reading Box for literacy group rotations. Each container is a different reading group to make it quick for students to find their booklet.

This side of the room has had the most changes. At the top, I used Kmart Contact Paper in Marble to cover up a yucky, peeling, blu tac stained board. On it is my Write Any Number display and Punctuation Posters. I also changed out the display board to have a purple backing (last year it still had a green backing left by the previous teacher).

My T.V. is unfortunately on this side. I wish it was at the front of the room because it makes positioning desks to see both the T.V. and whiteboard really difficult. Sports equipment, recycle bin and rubbish bin all stay next to the door.

 

 I have a station next to my door for notes to go home and the T.V. remote. In front of that are the student portfolios. I also keep our current reward system and the gem jar here.

Behind the door, I store my duty gear. This area is looking so much better since I covered the cupboard in the same marble contact paper I used on the other wall. Little did I know though, that my school was going to get painters in during the holidays to paint these. They left my contact there and didn't paint it...

This cupboard is filled up with supplies for Design and Technologies, like cardboard boxes, tubes, fabric etc.

On top of the cupboard are my Multiplication Cheat Sheet Posters.

I try to keep my whiteboard minimal but also a place for the key pieces of information in the classroom. Above my whiteboard, I have my Multiplication Posters.

I have my student trays currently at the front of the room. I leave students responsible for most of their books and belongings, and this is the only place students can keep them as we do not have desk trays.

The table, in front of the trays, is used for guided reading.

Last year, as part of my exploration into flexible seating, I got a mini round table. It was about $35 from The Reject Shop. My students usually sit at it with cushions they get out from a cupboard at the back of the room.

If you have been following me for long you know, I love doing Number of the Day in Term 1. I keep it up on the whiteboard for the whole term and swap out the number and questions as needed. I like to have it on the whiteboard so I  can write the answers and show the class how to get them right next to it.

Want to know more about my Number of the Day Display? Click the link below! 

This is the busiest section of my classroom, but once you know how to read it all the kids are able to use it very successfully. The top part in purple is my timetable. These all have magnets on the back, (I just cut up the ones I get in the mail and glue on) so I can change it as needed. The major benefit with a weekly timetable, rather than a daily, is that I only have to change it weekly- at most.

Below that is my literacy rotation timetable. It uses the day headings from the weekly timetable to save room, so the first column is Monday and so on.

I also have my No Fuss Flip Calendar and all the websites and logins my students need.

Below my literacy rotation timetable, I have my texts for guided reading. Each group has a sleeve that I place their texts in. I use Sharp Reading, so they are just on an A4 piece of paper.

This may be my third year in this classroom but it is the first time I have had my desk in this location. I love changing up my room to keep it feeling fresh.

Next to my desk, I have my rainbow trays from Officeworks. Each drawer contains all the worksheets I have for that particular subject. As I often photocopy for the whole term, I need a lot of space to store it all in, and this keeps it organised and easy to access.

The bottom drawer is filled with extras in case I need it or a relief teacher is in my room.

I keep my desk very minimal. The things on it are items I use every day. I used to have a rule that I wouldn't go home without quickly tidying up my desk every day but I have found that hard now I have my two daughters at school. They want attention and to tell me about there day as soon as the bell goes and it doesn't allow me an opportunity to tidy up my desk. I try to tidy up while my class is stacking and packing, but the beginning of the year has seen heaps of extra things end up on my desk. 

On my desk, I have a magazine folder with my planning file, assessment file and other documents I access multiple times a day. I have my sticky tape, stapler, pen holder and hand sanitiser. I also have two bells for getting attention during cooperative strategies when lots of people are speaking.

I have been trying out a room spray from Scentsy this term and OMG it is wonderful! I have the scent Blueberry Cheese Cake and it stays in the air for at least 30 minutes. I spray it before they come in from lunch and PhysEd. I also have a small storage box with pins, foldback clips, blu tac, paper clips etc.

I hope you enjoyed my 2020 room tour. I love my classroom and so do my students!

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published