When thinking of our classrooms, the actual physical space is often something we overlook. However, the physical space can impact the overall classroom in many ways.
The way we set up the physical space of the classroom can influence the welcoming effect, the comfort within the classroom, the children’s ability to concentrate, and even their ability to follow the rules. It is okay to play around with the space that you have to find what best suits your current needs. These needs change, and changing your classroom set up may help to aid some issues you may be having.
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It is helpful to take a look at the physical space of the classroom every once in a while and think about whether or not the arrangement of the classroom is meeting the needs of your children and for your activities. As the group changes over time, the specific arrangement of your furniture can support your goals of containment and full participation.
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It is very helpful to have structured seating on the carpet. You can use tape or other removable markings/pictures to set up squares on your rug. It may be helpful to have assigned seating and have a chart so each child knows where they should be seated when on the rug in order to lessen distractions and to spread out the children.
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You can also use physical borders to create boundaries. This can mean arranging your furniture in a way to block children from spaces that you may not want them entering (such as a teacher’s area). You can also use these physical borders to separate areas of the classroom (art rug vs. homework area: They are separated by a shelf of toys).
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The classroom furniture can also be arranged in a way so that it opens up the classroom, preventing hiding spots or other potential areas for mischievous behavior that a child may try to get away with sneakily (hidden spots in the classroom are always best for these things, but if you decrease the availability of these spaces within the classroom you can deter children from such activities).
