August 19, 2013
Dear Parents/Guardians:
The classroom setup reflects the needs of the students and
the teacher. It is designed to enhance
all learning activities. The student
desk and table arrangement allows the teacher and students to move about the
room freely. The attached diagram shows
an approximation of our classroom. In
the diagram numerals have been added to show how the design will allow center
and whole-class instruction to take place.
The placement of furniture, materials, and storage have been carefully
considered while planning the diagram.
This diagram has been created using the tool available at Scholastic.com:
The desks and table were placed to facilitate center
work. Students will rotate through
centers one, two, three, and four on one day.
Those outlying centers will rotate counter-clockwise at fifteen to
twenty minute intervals. Students will
rotate through centers five, six, seven, and eight for leveled reading on
another day. Center eight is where the
teacher will provide guided reading practice and tutoring. Those centers will
also run counter-clockwise. A pocket chart keeps track of the
rotations. If students are pulled out
for other instruction or are out of the room at transitions, they may refer to
the chart to find where they should be.
At the beginning of the year rotations may need to be as
short as ten minutes. By the end of the
year twenty-five minutes may be appropriate.
The first one or two weeks of school will be spent familiarizing
students with the format of activities they will be expected to complete during
center time. The center rotations will
also be practiced.
Several areas have specific functions. The table placed by the door (at number
three) next to the sink is where students will complete craft and paint
projects. The table is located over an
area with flooring which can easily be cleaned in case of spills. Area number two is located on the flooring
by a bookshelf where tubs of books are for students to select from. This area will also be used as a listening
center as well as for other reading activities. At area eight, the teacher maintains student
folders in the bookshelves for small group reading instruction. Students will have access to their reading
folders containing Houghton Mifflin reading materials. Area four in the diagram is set up for
computers at the back of the room. This
area may be used during center time or independent work time. Being set up at the back of the room helps
keep it from being a distraction to students not in the area.
Students have pencil boxes on their desks marked with their
student number and
name. Inside the
boxes there are crayons, two pencils, scissors, a glue stick, and an
eraser all marked with their student number. Students take these boxes to their
centers.
However, extra crayons or glue may be set out at the center
to avoid any shortages.
Other materials are set out at centers as needed. Students will always have access to what they
need. Students are held responsible for
lost materials.
Students will sit at their seats for whole-class
instruction. In making desk assignments
I consider student needs for space, vision, and their ability to work
independently.
In their desks are materials such as workbooks, textbooks
and other necessary reference and study materials.
The floor area at the front of the room is used to
facilitate activities such as making a KWL (what I know, want to know, and
learned) chart and reading from big books which everyone can. This area also works nicely for
group discussions or class meetings. This area is
marked off with tape to help students find their spot.
A great deal of time went into the design of the
classroom. If you have any questions or
concerns please feel free to contact me.
I hope you will feel confident that your student’s educational needs are
represented in my classroom.
