How to Design Your Own Classroom for Kindergarten & First Grade Teachers

Set up your room to promote early education.

Students do best in an environment conducive to learning. When taught in a well-organized, material-rich classroom, kindergarten and first-grade students are better able to acquire and retain information. Additionally, a classroom with attention-getting, high-interest displays is more likely to keep students engaged throughout the learning process and convey the idea that learning is a fun endeavor.

Instructions

1. Create excitement by placing colorful decorations around the room. Your kindergarten or first-grade students will likely be excited by these decorations. Feature educational displays, such as the alphabet or a short written passage on posters. Students will not only admire the aesthetic value of these decorations, but also learn bits of information.

2. Set up a space to display student work. If your room has a bulletin board, leave it vacant and fill it with student work as it is completed. Your students will likely enjoy seeing their work on display throughout the year and will strive to do their best, so that their work is selected for display.

3. Use tables instead of standard desks. In kindergarten and first grade, most of the learning is done cooperatively. By using tables instead of standard desks you create pre-established groups and encourage students to work together as they learn.

4. Add a sofa or pillows to a corner of the room to make a reading lounge. If your students have a comfortable place to sit as they listen to stories, they will be more likely to enjoy the activity. You can also allow students to use the reading lounge for independent reading.

5. Keep toys in storage along one wall. While you do want to have toys in your room, you do not want them distracting your students. By creating a storage place for your toys you ensure that they stay out of the way until needed.

6. In kindergarten and first grade, class commonly starts with a look at the date and an examination of the weather. Set up a prominent "date-and-weather" station at the front of the room to use in this daily exercise.

7. Create learning centers around the perimeter of the room. Set small tables or desks around the room, and place different learning material on each. For example, on one desk, you may feature a listening station, with an assortment of books on tape. On another, you may feature a math board game. Send students to their learning stations as they complete their assigned work to ensure that they keep on learning throughout the day.

8. Feature leveled reading materials. If you have an extensive collection of books, students will be more likely to want to read. Include reading material at your students' grade level, as well as material slightly below and above the reading level, to ensure that all students will be able to find a book for them.

References

• Scholastic: Welcome to Naomi & Alexandra's Kindergarten Classroom
• National Institute of Building Science: Classroom Design