A few years ago, I shared a tour of my Intermediate Elementary Self-Contained classroom. It was so fun to show off my favorite parts of the room! Well, since then my classroom has had bit of a makeover, as has my class itself! The number of students in my room has tripled, so a classroom redo was definitely in order! Read on to see a few things I have changed in my room!
Teacher Table
The biggest change I made in my classroom was changing up my teacher table. My table where I meet with students during centers and for progress monitoring. I don’t use a traditional desk, so my table is also my de facto command center! Not only did I change up the physical table I am using, I changed the location! Some of my new students are elopers, so I knew I needed to be stationed by the door. Luckily, my kidney table fit perfectly in the nook by the door. That allows me to quickly block the door when needed. I also have a great view of the entire classroom when I am sitting at my table!
Independent Work Center
I set up this table as an independent work area in the classroom. During my center rotations, I always assign my students an independent activity. Completing pattern block cards is one of their favorites! (affiliate link) This table is set up in a central location, so that myself or a paraprofessional is able to monitor the students.
ABA Area
Another change to my classroom structure is that I now have some students who receive ABA programming. I set up an area in the classroom that is designated for running programs. The students’ program binders, data sheets, and instructional materials are housed here. The paraprofessionals in my classroom and I take turns running programs, so we rotate ourselves to this table instead of moving the materials from place to place.
Classroom Desks
The biggest change in my classroom was changing from tables to desks! My class size has ballooned from three when I started out to nine this year! When I had a smaller group, giving each child a table was awesome. But of course, I’ve never seen a classroom that can accommodate nine tables for students! So I had to make the decision to change to desks. And honestly, it has been great! A traditional desk gives my students a defined space and prevents them from accumulating too many objects. They are able to keep all of their essentials inside, helping build responsibility by keeping track of their things. For some of my fidgety students, placing Bouncy Bands on their desk chairs (affiliate link) has been super helpful!
By strategically arranging the furniture I already had, I was able to make a functional layout that works for my students and I! I especially love the new placement of my teacher table – it is so convenient during centers! What is your favorite part of YOUR classroom? I would love to hear about it below!
