
2e: Organizing Physical Space




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As an education student at West Virginia State University, I understand the importance of organization and preparation. This phrase also comes from the Nitro Elementary school-wide P.B.I.S. R.O.A.R.S. student expectations, which has students promise to be 'Organized and prepared.' To meet those expectations, our modeling is required, and we do this through structure. Our class space is designed for organization and cleanliness, per the 'safe and orderly' expectation. In our classroom, student 'Organizers' are attached in the middle of each color-coded grouping: 'Red Group, Yellow Group, Blue Group, and Green Group.' These organizers make time-effective strategies to keep pencils, erasers, scissors, colored pencils, glue sticks, headphones for our iPads and tech devices, whiteboard and erasable markers and erasers, unfinished/finished work folder and our playdough for silent time! This system not only promotes organization but also saves valuable class time. I am happy to know this is a utilization and a learned method from experiences in a third-grade classroom. Our group tables have our cubies with highlighters, pencils, whiteboards, markers, erasers, manipulatives, and all materials and materials needed for our groups that day. Students will only bring their workbooks and assignments to the tables to save time because supplies will be there already!
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When students take free time, flexible seating options are available, and students can sit in chairs and couches to charge iPads and read their books or eBooks from Epic. This "free time" is when students have fulfilled their "Ketch-Up, Must-Do, Pick-One" and can work together in student work areas for math or reading games based on the core subject we are learning. This includes the library area, the rug, the writing station, and the floor-seated lounge. Space is utilized so that the desks are grouped for formal cooperative learning groups; "cooperative learning students work together for one or more class periods to complete a joint task or assignment" (Johnson et al., 2014). "The use of cooperative learning groups in instruction is based on the principle of constructivism, with particular attention to social interaction's contribution. In essence, constructivism rests on the idea that individuals learn through building their knowledge, connecting new ideas and experiences to existing knowledge and experiences to form new or enhanced understanding" (Bransford et al., 1999). This space is designed so students can interact and participate in many cooperative learning processes, such as team-based learning, problem-based learning, and process-oriented guided inquiry learning.
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Our Sound Wall with the "Secret Stories," embedded in the Science of Reading, is easily accessed; it is complete using the entire wallboard by the sink and Mrs. Amy's group table. Though it may seem overwhelming, this board has so much information, and we encourage students to look over it when they constantly ask for the spelling of words. It is a remarkable tool for academic success, which scaffolds prior knowledge for the students to use examples of words that model the use of the words and the letters that go with the sound. Our walls align with our student outcomes, with our "I can statements..." this is in the math corner and on the "Writing Wall." The wall space is adequate to ensure students get full potential support for academic success!
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With the rug dedicated to the space in front of the classroom near the TV, as an educator, I utilize this space for technology, and students can participate in an open area for GoNoodle and use this space for circle time, like when we read stories and when I played the ukelele for the class after reading Abiyoyo! The story can be displayed on the TV! This active, highly engaging area is great for academic success and during the morning routine. The rug is an excellent place for the students to relax before the bell rings if their work is caught up, and this builds more positive interactions with this place and its association. The world map is displayed on the rug, so as I say, "I traveled across the world each morning."






