MODERN CLASSROOM

STRUCTURING
Are you still teaching
in a 19th century
classroom?
Are your students…

…bored in
their learning
environments?
Are your students…

…crammed into
dense seating
arrangements?
Are your students…

…idly staring at
25 years of
collectibles and
books that don’t
fit at your house?
We care about our spaces.
 GROUP ACTIVITY
Make a classroom layout with the following
equipment
and furniture: (5mins)

Blackboard
Bulletin Boards (2 sets)
Arm chair (40 units)
Teacher’s chair and
table
Demo table
Picture frame of the President
Wash stand
Broom box
 Problems with Today’s
Classroom
 19th century classroom design for 21th
century students
 Classrooms are built for lectures not
learning
 Technology is advanced, but
classroom design is lagging behind
 Lack of flexibility
 Lack of connection between students
 Boring environment
REGULAR CLASSROOM FACILITIES

The classroom is a contained unit of learning space.

To be effective, it must be designed such that
spaces and facilities reflect the educational
processes and activities that take place in them.
Every classroom shall be suitably structured and
decorated to make the surroundings of
pupils/students conducive to learning.
The Physical Classroom

 There are 2 cheap and easy ways

to improve
the classroom’s aura
1. Change the chairs

2. Decorate the walls

3. Change the seating chart
My Inspiration
First, the cliché.
Room Arrangement
Traditional Rows
Room Arrangement
Traditional Rows
Room Arrangement
Traditional Rows

Great for…
The seating arrangements

Fred
Jones
@tools4teaching
The seating arrangements
The seating arrangements
Use an interior loop!
 FEET…
A CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TOOL
THAT YOU NEED!
ZONES OF
PROXIMITY
 ZONES OF
PROXIMITY
TOOLS FOR TEACHING BY FRED JONES
ZONES OF PROXIMITY CHANGE AS THE
TEACHER MOVES AROUND THE
ROOM…SO, KEEP MOVING!
 MOBILITY
THE INTERIOR LOOP
TOOLS FOR TEACHING BY FRED JONES
SEATING IN
GROUPS
THE
DOUBLE E
Room Arrangement
The Circle
Room Arrangement
The Square
Room Arrangement
The U
Room Arrangement
Theater-Style
 Desk
Arrangement
 Desks in groups,
with students facing
each other, can help
stimulate student
discussion

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
 Desk
Arrangement
 Desks in single or d
double rows are
good for
demonstrations
and independent
work Source: http://www.babble.com
 Desk
Arrangement
 Desks in u-
shapes are
recommended
where possible

source: http://www.hck12.net/kes/
 Desk
Arrangement
 Desks in
workstations are
suited for students
who have developed
self management
skills

Source: http://www.thevillageschool.com
Desk
Arrangement
 Remember, all seating
arrangements should accommodate
an inclusive learning environment
 Foreman (1996) notes that some
classrooms may require free and
quiet spaces to facilitate learning
Desk
Arrangement
 Remember, all seating
arrangements should accommodate
an inclusive learning environment
 Foreman (1996) notes that some
classrooms may require free and
quiet spaces to facilitate learning
Classroom
Decoration
 Students like to see their own
work displayed, even in High
Schools
 Class-made posters help students
develop a sense of belonging to
the classroom
 Plants and animals can have positive
effects on the classroom (Nicholls,
Walls
Today’s Walls The Preferred Walls
 Bland  Colorful
 Boring  Designed
 Makes people tired  Thought provoking
just looking at it  Very cool
The walls
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Or do something different.

@mrmacsclasses
Or do something different.

www.360degreemath.com
Speaking of work surfaces…

@smarterteacher
Speaking of work surfaces…
Speaking of work surfaces…

Why aren’t we
all doing this?
Speaking of work surfaces…

Writey Boards
Idea Paint