Accommodating the Space Needs of Students with Disabilities

There was a student in one of my classrooms who had Cerebral Palsy. He needed a walker to get around the school, which took up a lot of space in the small classroom. He also used a Neo (a small wireless keyboard) frequently as an accommodation for his classwork, which took up a lot of desk space. At the beginning of the year, this student's desk was near the door where the teacher thought he would have more space for his walker, but instead, his walker was blocking both major pathways in the classroom. Students would trip on it or block this student's ability to move. Something that worked much better in a later seating arrangement was putting this student next to an empty desk. He was able to put his Neo on or in the empty desk and leave it there when it wasn't in use, freeing up his own desk space. He also tucked his walker under this empty desk like a chair, so it was right next to him and easily accessible, but didn't block his own pathway or the path of his classmates.

E3 Desk Arrangement

I had a cooperating teacher this semester who tried out a lot of different seating charts while I was with her. One desk arrangement she showed me that I hadn't heard of before was one she called E3, which looks exactly like it sounds. Desks are arranged in the shape of an E on one side (a long row with 2-3 forward-facing desks forming each of the horizontal lines in the E shape) and the other half of the desks form a 3 (the same shape flipped). This created more of a row structure, but also allowed for more space for the teacher and students to move around the room by leaving a path down the center. I liked this arrangement for the most part, and I think it's nice to try out a desk formation that is less frequently used.

Managing Space

In the time I have been in the first grade classroom, the desks have already been moved. When I first came to the classroom my cooperating teacher had the desks grouped into two groups of five and two groups of six, and now she has three long rows facing the SmartBoard. I believe the group arrangement was a more effective use of space because the students were able to work in groups more easily and weren't as likely to talk to their neighbors because she assigned seats. In the row arrangement she has let the students pick their desk buddies and it has given them plenty of opportunity to talk to their neighbors when they should be listening. I hope to have small groups of desks in my own classroom rather than rows.

Kaylynn Bailey

Desk Space

This classroom is fairly new so it looks like it would be easy to have the appearance of a large classroom. The teacher does a great job organizing the desks and for me, I feel that sometimes is the hardest battle in organizing your classroom. To create space she grouped the desks in pods of four and left alot of room to walk around all of the desks. The room does not appear over crowded and has the appearance of a neat, organized, large classroom. To maximize space, play with the desks in your classroom to find the best option.

Jackie Julian

Creating Space

This teacher utilizes bookshelves to maximize the small space she has. I love that her books are neatly placed and secured with book ends. I also love how many containers she uses to store goods away. Each container is labeled neatly and it makes her space look organized and well put away. I think its important when having your own classroom to find different ways of utilizing the area you were given, even if it is not your dream classroom.

Jackie Julian

Use Your Walls!

The classroom that I am currently student teaching in has carpted walls. What a great idea! My teacher uses her walls for everything. She uses velcro, and can magically stick anything she wants/needs on her walls, including remotes! What a great space saver. She uses clothes pins with velcro on the back to hang art projects, graphs, charts, pictures etc! The ideas are endless. Take at look at her walls. . .

Awesome Classroom!

I worked with a teacher at Gramercy Elementary who had an amazing classroom!  I took all sorts of pictures! So for one of my posts I would like to share some. I really liked how she used a blue, green, and orange theme.  She also had some floor lamps she had turned on that really helped make it seem more home like.  The only thing looks great.   :)