Monday, August 26, 2013

Classroom Tour 2013

I've found nothing on the Internet that is more helpful than music teachers posting how they set up and organize their classrooms at the beginning of each year.  I know we all have different styles and different materials to work with, but I hope by posting my set up it will give someone else some ideas :)

 
I tried something new this year - I have always had these flip form risers but I kept them hidden away in they gym.  I tried them my very first year teaching and I HATED them!  I only have 4 sets and to get all of my students to fit they have really had to sit close together (my largest class has always been 24+).  I have had the students sitting on the floor in nice straight rows for the past 6 years with no problems, but with the addition of new technology came the need for a new seating arrangement.  I (finally) will have a document camera and data projector in my room this year.  Not the interactive whiteboard that I wanted, but hey, anything is better than that ancient overhead that I've been forced to use up until now!  I needed to get the kids up off the floor so they could see over the table that I am putting the projector on - hence the risers in my room.  Today was the first day of school for us and I tried it all out.  I told my kids today that it was an experiment and if we decide it's not going to work we will have to figure something else out.  I still am not sure that they are going to work, but we'll see...

 
This is the supply shelf where I keep all of the things that you might possibly need to complete small assignments in the music room.  I have colored pencils, erasers, glue sticks, scissors, dry erase boards/markers/erasers, wipes, vis-à-vis pens and crayons.  I also have full and half sheet notebook paper.  On the left side I have a few classroom mailboxes to keep work for the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes.  I will probably keep center work on the 2 shelves below.

 
I decided over the summer that I wanted to do something a little different with my workspace.  I spend a lot of time here planning out lessons and getting myself organized for the day, so I wanted it to be comfortable, super organized, and a little homey (is that even a word?).  I purchased the chair from Wal-Mart.  It's purple so it gives the room a little of my personality.  I also purchased the small bookshelf from Lowe's Home Improvement to put my binders in.  I tried just standing them up against my computer last year and they all kept falling over.  This seems to be working out much better so far.  The white drawers underneath my desk have the extra worksheets and materials for a substitute in case something comes up and I can't be at work.  Emergency sub plans are in one of the binders.
 
 
A closer view of the desk shows the "teacher toolbox" that I made (pinterest inspired).  You can't really see the labels all that well, but they are things like paperclips, 3M strips, post it notes, etc.  And of course it would not be at all complete without the bottle of Mountain Dew :)
 
 
I also (with the help of my father and my sister) made these crate seats - also inspired by pinterest.  I might use these for extra seating in case we decide that we can't fit 24 5th graders on the risers.  I originally planned to use them when I give out independent/group work. 
 
 
The bookshelves on the left are the home of my music classroom library.  I have a pretty decent collection of picture books that have a music theme (or regular picture books that can be adapted for a music lesson).  If we ever have extra time (which is VERY rare) or on free choice day, the students can choose to read a book from the classroom library.  I also will have my recorder resource bulletin board here, but I have not had time to put that one up.

 
Here is a view from the very front of the room, so you can see how it's all laid out.  The classroom library is in the back, my desk is back on the right side behind the supply shelf, and the risers are in the middle of the room.

1 comment:

  1. Hey! I love this page and wanted to send you an email about it but I couldn't find your contact info anywhere. I'd love to send you a message if that's okay. My email is david.row@kckps.org

    Great room! Jealous!

    David

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