As a classroom teacher one of the first things you worry about during back-to-school time is classroom arrangements.  You may have already been on pinterest or google searching, “classroom arrangements with desks” or “classroom arrangements with tables”.  Whether it’s desks or tables, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when planning your classroom arrangement.  

Student Work Space

The first thing to consider is the age and size of your students and how much work space each student will need.  If you are using tables, how many students can realistically sit at a table including their books and other supplies?  If you are using desks, do you want them sitting individually or in collaborative learning groups.  There are several classroom arrangements for desks that allow for both.  

More modern schools have rolling desks that make it easy for students to choose.  If you’re in a classroom with desks that are stationary, it’s important to remember to keep a couple of extra desks at the beginning of the year for students who enroll late.  

Math is a hands-on subject and therefore it’s important to consider your students’ access to manipulatives and their work space when using them. They may need manipulatives to work independently or in groups.

Learning Centers

Elementary classroom arrangements typically have to lend themselves to learning centers.  If you want your learning centers to have their own space around your classroom that is one option or you could have learning centers that are moveable and students take them to their seats.  

When planning for your centers, think of the types of activities that will happen in each space and what supplies need to be nearby.  If students are doing a math craft you want to make sure they are near a trash can and a sink.  You want to minimize the number of students who have to travel across the classroom during learning time.

Traffic Flow

Predicting traffic flow for classroom arrangements can be challenging.  It is important to think about how students will transition from one math station to another.  If they have to go get supplies or throw something away, which path should they take.  If you have larger pieces of furniture you want to make sure that those allow for students to freely move around. 

Small Group Space

This is one of the most important spaces to set up properly in your classroom regardless of the grade level.  Teachers want to make the most of every minute they have available during small group time.  Whether you are calling students to a table, or you are rolling to your students with a cart, be sure that you have all of your materials nearby.  

Your small group space should be in a place where students are not easily distracted.  Ideally, it would be away from any windows or learning spaces that could draw attention away from your instruction. 

A rolling cart with drawers is highly recommended for small group. The clear drawers can be easily labeled for different groups. The small drawers hold student work or white boards and the large drawers hold math manipulatives for easy access. The wheels make it easy to travel if you choose to move to your groups instead of your students coming to your table.

Personal Space

As a teacher, you often forget to think about yourself. It is very important that you create a space in your classroom that is just for you and your personal belongings. You will need to establish some boundaries with your students so they know that this area is just for you. Make sure that you include items that bring you joy. Classroom arrangements need to support the needs of both you and your students. 

Summing It All Up

As you kick off this school year, be sure to consider classroom arrangements that allow your students to collaborate and safely move about the classroom. Ensure that wherever you are in the classroom, whether it be in your personal space, small groups or in front of the class, that you can monitor all of your students at all times. With the right classroom arrangements your students will feel safe and ready to learn.

Want more support with setting up your classroom, math workshop, or math instruction? Be sure to download my Math Workshop Guide and check out the Work With Me page and sign up for some one-on-one coaching.