Classroom Design
Savannah Crowder
March 4, 2015
First Grade: G.H. Reid Elementary School
Security and Shelter
O
This function involves creating a protective,
caring, warm environment. This includes
physical security and psychological security.
O The rugs in my Practicum classroom provide a
“softness” to the classroom. The children sit on
the rugs for class meetings, read-alouds, and
sometimes independent reading. This helps
create a warm environment where children
feel safe and comfortable. My Practicum
teacher also has a comfortable chair that she
sits in to hold class meetings, read-alouds, etc.
The children are allowed to sit in the chair
while doing independent reading. This also
adds to creating a comfortable environment.
O The classroom is also set up so that the desks
are not too crowded and there are separate
areas (or “centers”) for different things. This
helps diminish distractions, and create a
comfortable non-hectic environment.
Social Contact
O
O
O
Social contact includes the interactions among
students. This function includes how you set up your
classroom to maximize or minimize student
interactions.
This
includes
your
seating
arrangements (ex: clusters for more interactions or
rows of desks for more individualized work).
My Practicum classroom has the desks set up in
groups of two that are in two rows. My teacher has
arranged students in a way that minimizes
distractions, but still includes interactions with other
students. There is easy mobility and this seating
arrangement really seems to work well in her
classroom.
My Practicum teacher has also placed the pencil
sharpener at the back of the classroom so that it
doesn’t distract all of the students during
instruction. (She also encourages the students to
have two sharpened pencils in their desk at all times
to minimize time spent sharpening pencils during
instruction.)
Symbolic Identification
O
O
O
According to Weinstein and Romano (2015), “…symbolic
identification refers to the information that a setting
provides about the people who spend time there” (p.35).
For example, hanging up children’s artwork, stories, or
pictures in a classroom. This mostly includes
personalizing your space.
In my Practicum classroom, my teacher hangs up
artwork that the children have done. She said to me that
she always has something that the children have done
hanging up (even with minimal wall space/hanging
space). I also noticed that my teacher has all of her
students pictures on her door. This makes the students
feel like they are part of the classroom and gives the
classroom a personalized feel. When the students work is
hung up it enforces that the children’s work is important.
My teacher also has pictures of her family on her desk
(not pictured). Behind her desk, she has artwork that the
children have done for her hanging up. The classroom
also has a poster that includes all of the children’s
birthdays. This is important because you can honor each
individual student (and helps your classroom to be more
personalized).
Task Instrumentality
O
O
O
O
Task Instrumentality is defined by Weinstein and
Romano (2015) as, “…the many ways in which the
environment helps us to carry out the tasks we need to
accomplish” (p.37). This can include organizational
cubbies and/or specific places for materials.
In my Practicum classroom, the students hang up their
coats and backpacks in an open closet with hooks. This
keeps their personal belongings that they do not need for
learning away from them so that the students will not get
distracted.
My Practicum classroom also includes labels on bins or
specific areas designated for materials/things students
may need. The students know exactly where to get the
materials they may need without having to interrupt the
teacher or disturb class.
The students in my Practicum classroom also have desks
that have a built in place for them to keep materials such
as pencils, crayons, books, and whatever else they may
need. This definitely helps to minimize disruptions.
Pleasure
O
O
This function includes how to make your space
attractive and pleasing. This helps create a
positive and comfortable learning
environment. What you do to make your
classroom attractive.
In my Practicum classroom, my teacher has
hung up posters, has a big comfortable chair,
rugs, a stereo, and involved bright colors
(posters and bulletin boards). This all adds to
creating an attractive and pleasing
environment. This helps brighten up your
classroom and make it a beautiful classroom
where children want to be and want to learn.
Growth
O
O
Growth includes creating an environment that promotes
children’s development. This can include different areas in
your classroom that each promote learning (ex: reading
center and writing center).
In my Practicum classroom, my teacher has divided her
classroom into different centers (for reading and writing).
She has built a small classroom library (despite difficulties
and limited resources at the school), determined that the
rug area is the reading center, and the table that seats
multiple children is the writing center. My Practicum
classroom has many activities that students can do as well;
ranging from puzzles to art supplies. The classroom also
includes three computers where the children can play
games for each subject. All of the activities, books,
computers, and centers can all promote growth.
References
O Savannah Crowder’s pictures, G.H. Reid Elementary
School, Ms. Beard’s classroom, RM number 105
O Weinstein, C., & Romano, M. (2015). Elementary
classroom management lessons from research and
practice (Sixth ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Education.