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Classroom Organization Tips
The Value of Classroom Organization
The value of classroom organization cannot be underestimated. The way in which a classroom is organized can have a profound effect on the ability of the students to learn. Teachers should be aware of the way in which the structure of the classroom is impacting the learning process and should be willing to make changes to reduce any evident learning obstacles created by the organizational structure of the classroom. A few basic principles of classroom organization are:
Keep items which are used often readily accessible
Aisle ways should be designed to provide clear access to different areas of the classroom
Seating should be arranged to ensure unobstructed views of the presentation area for all students
Seating should be arranged according to the classroom expectations in regard to interaction among students
Storage areas such as bookcases and shelves should be well organized and ideally labeled to ensure their purpose is evident to all
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Room Dividers
Portable partitions are a low cost, non-permanent way to divide classrooms and study areas, in addition to adding needed classroom storage areas. To find out which room dividers are best for your space, consider the overall classroom arrangement as well as the height, length, and material of the partition you want.
Partitions come in free-standing or wall-mounted varieties. Wall-mounted partitions are semi-permanent and work well for classrooms in which the configuration is expected to change frequently. Freestanding partitions are mobile and work well if you expect to move the partitions around to different classes.
Look for partitions with self-leveling casters so you can set them up on uneven flooring. Height is the most important point to consider when purchasing folding room dividers. The higher the partition, the more noise it will obstruct. Partition heights range from 4’ – 8’, so keep your classroom dimensions in mind. The higher the partition, the more sound is blocked. When browsing room dividers, focus on the amount of supervision your students will need, how much noise obstruction is necessary, and how permanent the room’s set-up is expected to be. This will ensure a proper fit when setting up your new room dividers.
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Anchoring Classroom Shelves
Anchoring classroom shelves is very important for safety reasons. Classroom shelves which are not properly anchored can become dislodged and result in accidents in the classroom. The method for securing the shelves will depend on the type of shelving as well as the material in which the shelves will be anchored.
In most sheetrock wall, using a stud finder and affixing the shelves to a stud is ideal. However, it is not always feasible to mount a shelf to a wall stud. When it is not possible to use a wall stud, it is necessary to purchase commercially available anchoring systems. These systems typically include anchors made of either plastic or metal. The metal anchoring systems are usually capable of supporting a greater load than the plastic anchoring systems. Before selecting a plastic or metal anchoring system it is important to evaluate the load the shelves will carry in order to determine which type of anchoring system is best.
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Classroom Storage
There is a wide variety of classroom storage options available that can help reduce clutter in classrooms. Reducing clutter is important because it helps to make the classroom more organized and prevents students from either being distracted or becoming stressed out by a lack of organizational structure in the classroom.
Fortunately there are a variety of options for storage to ensure the needs of all types of classrooms are met. Classroom storage choices range from simple shelves to complex storage cabinets. There are also bookcases of different sizes and even storage cabinets on casters, which make it easy to transport the storage system if necessary. Examples of some of the storage units available include vertical cabinets of all sizes, storage lockers, computer cabinets, vertical file cabinets, horizontal file cabinets and shelving units. Storage cabinets and shelving units may have doors or can be open.
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School Storage Cabinets for Sports Equipment
School storage cabinets for sports equipment should be designed to accommodate the equipment which will be stored in the cabinets. Storage lockers of various dimensions are available for the purpose of storing sports equipment.
Single tiered lockers may be ideal for storing sporting equipment of greater height such as hockey sticks or javelins while double or triple tiered lockers may be adequate for the storage of equipment requiring less height such as baseball bats, sports balls and tennis rackets. Sports gear which requires width that is not typically available in storage lockers (such as soccer goals) may require other types of school storage cabinets. Cabinets may be custom made to accommodate the needs of the school or standard cabinets may be purchased for general purposes.
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Keeping Classroom Shelving Organized
Classroom shelving should be kept organized for many reasons. Shelves which are well organized are not only more efficient but also help to create an environment which is more conducive to learning. This is important because an unorganized classroom can contribute to the creation of a stressful learning environment and may hinder the progress of students. Fortunately, keeping classroom shelving organized is not very difficult. A few tips for maintaining a neat class:
Use labels to ensure items are returned to the correct location
