3 Strategies for Effective Classroom Organization

Whether you're in school now or starting to think ahead to your return next fall, you've probably wondered: How should I set up my classroom to facilitate blended, self-paced, mastery-based learning?

As with many things Modern Classrooms, there isn't one right answer -- the ideal setup looks different for every teacher.  Yet no matter what your classroom looks like, here are a few practices that many of our Distinguished Modern Classroom Educators have found to be effective: 

★ Make gathering and submitting work seamless. Students moving at their own paces should be able to pick up new work as soon as they are ready for it, and to turn in completed work as soon as they are finished -- all without disturbing you.  A simple filing system can work wonders! 

★ Create seating for group work and small-group instruction.  Authentic collaboration is at the heart of any Modern Classroom -- make sure that your students can sit with peers who can help them learn, and that you have a place where you can instruct small groups.  See this Expert Mentor's seating guide for more.

★ Set aside space for mastery checks.  You also want space for students to work independently -- especially when they are demonstrating mastery.  Make one corner of your room a "silent work station" where students can complete their mastery checks in peace.

Most importantly, be willing to experiment!  You won't know what works until you try it... and I'm sure your students will be more than willing to give you feedback on what works for them, too.

Finally, once you do figure out the classroom set-up that works for you, we hope you'll share it with us -- our Facebook Group for Teachers is great for that.  We are eager both to learn from you and to celebrate your success.