If I Could Design My Own Classroom

(1)  What classroom management principle(s) guided your design?

a.     I placed plenty of windows in the classroom to provide outdoor light, but not too many to become a distraction. I knew I didn’t want to be a central focus, but I also did not want to be in the back of the room. So I placed my desk in the center in the front. Far away enough from the students to have privacy, but yet close enough so I am within reach for help. Being a teacher is not about dictatorship, so I did not want to have a typical classroom. I want to be just as much part of the student’s activities as they are.

(2)  How did you design with students with challenging behaviors in mind?

a.     I incorporated all different desks, and in different places because sometimes it’s simply the surrounding area students have difficulty with. But to have a more appealing class for the students, there may be less need for distraction.

(3)  What effective classroom arrangement strategies did you employ for your room arrangement?

a.     I put my bookshelves near the windows so the students could read in a peaceful place. I placed the lockers on the wall closest to the door so they are out of the way, but right there for the students to put their stuff away. I then included several different shaped desks in different areas to make sure I’m keeping the room interesting and appealing to all. I put my bulletin in the back of the room so the students could check any important things on their way to their bags. I put 2 blackboards in the front of the class so they are in plane view. I then placed my desk in the center so I can be hand on and in reach.

(4)  Provide a research-based rationale for your room arrangement.

a.     My classroom arrangement maximizes access. “Teacher interaction with students is correlated to student seating location (Good & Brophy, 2008; Evertson & Emmer, 2017; Rogers, 2011; Weinstein, Romano, & Mignano, 2011). Students who are seated in closer proximity to the teacher experience increased engagement (Cooper, 2011, in Wubbels et al., 2015).”