Designing the floor plan for your special education classroom can seem like a daunting task! There are many factors to consider, such as behaviors, schedules, and class size. It took some trial and error, but I have a classroom floor plan that I love, AND that makes sense for me and my students. Read on to see why it works for me!
Centers-Based Floor Plan
My main academic subjects are run with centers. So, when deciding on my floor plan I knew I needed to maximize my space to allow for effective center rotations. By arranging the furniture into an open layout, I am able to create spaces for different stations.
Areas in my Floor Plan
Desks
A lot of self-contained classrooms use tables or individual work stations with dividers in their rooms. I have those over the years, but have come to prefer traditional student desks. One reason is that they give my students a simple place to store their belongings! Another reason is that their gen ed peers use regular desks, so this helps my class fit in with the others a bit more. I arrange my desks in a horseshoe around the centerpiece of my classroom, the carpet. This gives everyone a clear view of the board, and also separates the carpet from the rest of the room.
Carpet and Board Area
The carpet is my favorite part of the classroom! It’s where my students and I gather for whole-group activities, like morning meeting and read aloud. And during centers, students go there to complete independent activities. My carpet is located towards the middle of the room, so when I am working with small groups at my teacher table, I can still see what is going on over there!
Teacher Table
I have positioned my u-shaped teacher table in a nook by the door. The main reason I decided to set my table there is that it allows me to block the door quickly in case a student tries to elope. The added benefit of this position is that I can see the whole room from my seat, so I always know what is going on on the room! This allows for easy classroom management during the day.
Para Tables
During center rotations, I have two paraprofessional-led stations I set up the para’s tables around the perimeter of the room. This allows us all to keep an eye on the students who are doing independent work while we meet with small groups. My table and the para tables are all separated enough that we don’t interfere with one another whole working. And, the space allows for ease of student movement as they go from center to center.
Play Area
Even though my students are a little older (grades 3-5), play is still an important part of our day! Play time has so many benefits for kids, including learning to problem solve, be creative, and work cooperatively. Plus, all kids need to have a little fun! I created a little play area that is separate from our center stations. Students are able to play together during our down time on the classroom.
My classroom floor plan definitely helps me to make my room a productive environment! How do you decide on your classroom floor plan? Share your ideas (or questions!) below!
Want ti learn more about implementing centers?
The Simple Centers System makes managing paraprofessionals easier by providing:
- Clear Instructions: Each center comes with detailed plans so paraprofessionals know exactly what to do.
- Consistent Routines: When students know the routine, paraprofessionals can focus on supporting learning instead of managing confusion.
- Adaptable Materials: Easily tailor activities to fit the needs of your students and the strengths of your staff.
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