Let's be real, my classroom is NOT Instagram perfect!
I'm sharing the good, the bad, and the totally unorganized.
This is my REAL classroom where the REAL, CHAOTIC learning takes place.
Here's where all the STEM magic takes place
I teach the same students every year so I get to know them really well. I also know who I should and shouldn't group in order to protect my sanity.
Each student has an assigned spot on the rug and an assigned table group. They will remain with these assignments until the end of my two or three weeks with them.
My rug is huge and luckily can accommodate my 30 plus students without them being on top of each other.
It's hard to tell because they have slowly been wearing away, but there are orange circles spray painted with fabric spray that identify seating spots.
It's amazing, but even the kindergarteners can remember which spot to sit on after the first day.
I really like these Oodle stools. You can stack them to make them taller or take them apart to make them shorter. There's a way to make them wobble (which I do!) or to be stationary.
This is definitely the messy corner of the room, but the kids love sitting the cafe style seating.
With these two seating areas and my other tables, there are 7 workspaces that accommodate 4 students each.
If you did the math from the last image, seating for 7 groups of 4 is not always enough room for all of my students. When a class has 8 teams, one has to work on the carpet instead of a table.
Students use these individual stools as tables on the carpet.
let's talk storage
Are you the person on campus that all the other teachers give stuff to when they don't want it?
Well, that's me. I'm not complaining about free supplies, but I also don't know how to say no when I really don't need (or want) something.
Enter the 233,484,194 supplies I have inherited over the years.
When it comes to STEM, organization is key!
Managing materials for various grades, each engaging in their own distinct projects with a different assortment of supplies, can be quite a challenge. Yikes!
I need a system that allows me to quickly locate what I need, when I need it!
Now, all my OCD teacher friends may be asking yourselves, "Couldn't she do something more appealing with the bins, like put them in a colored pattern or something?" The answer is yes, and I have, but it's not worth my sanity to keep that up when my kiddos and I are taking bins down and putting them back up so often. Here's my visually unappealing organization! You're welcome.
So, here's my less organized organization
the big closet
I've attempted to organize my closets over the 6 years I've been in this classroom, but it's the easiest place to just stick things in the middle of a chaotic day ... or week. Sometimes you just need to hide things behind a door to declutter and ease your disorganization anxiety. I always intend to put it away later. #2025goals!
the small closet
The only thing truly organized in this space is my construction paper. I believe it's more convenient for the kids to access the closet and easily find the paper they need for projects, such as stop motion animations.
Table Team Tools
I try to make it so that frequently used materials are easily accessible during projects.
Table Team storage
The wall pocket and drawers are for storing work in progress, but as you can see, I don't have enough for all the grade levels. Projects with fewer materials are in the closet or on shelves.
keeping the chaos clean-ish
Every team has a job to do at the end of class
Model picture of a clean workspace so students know the expectations
a little sweeping and dusting never hurt anyone
a little sweeping and dusting never hurt anyone