Flexible Seating and Organization for the Elementary Classroom

First impressions are important in every aspect of life. This holds true even with an academic setting. I want my classroom to be inviting. A place where students can experience a fun, colorful, learning environment. That’s why I believe you can have flexible seating and organization!

Throughout this post, you will see examples of how my room is decorated – specifically focusing on flexible seating and organization – so students are excited and led to learn. To accomplish this:

• Using the color black as a background, making the rest of the room pop
• Including vibrant colors strategically placed around the room
• Developing different seating options (flexible seating)
• Maximizing space through effective organizational techniques, i.e. stacking, color coding, labeling

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Note:

Even though I use flexible seating, the students are still able to use their desks as an option.  I include their desk as an option because I have noticed some students like the option of having the desk.  I conclude it helps them because they are used to it.  They have been conditioned to be at a desk, so they tend to migrate back to it on certain assignments.  As the year progresses, they learn what works best for them.

In an attempt to help students help themselves,  I am working on improving organizational learning. Pictured to the right, you will see students are given a number which represents them and contains all their materials, pencils, erasers, etc., storing all the extra supplies needed.  And what’s awesome, the storage containers can be recycled each year.

Secondly, the containers help learners:

• Stay more organized, helping them keep their learning centers clean.
• Develop organizational skills at a young age.

I continue this concept with my binders which all students receive at the beginning of the year.  The binders encompass:

• Homework
• Any communication between parent and teacher
• Money
• Behavior charts

Finally, by utilizing this system, students show the teacher the binder at the beginning of the day and then store them back in their designated area until they leave for the day.

Click here to purchase the storage containers for binders.

Click here to purchase the storage container on the bottom.

Pictured below, looking left to right, we continue with the organizational theme.  Teachers, as well as learners, need anything and everything to be available at a moment’s notice.  All learning items, supplies, and materials are efficiently placed and organized for easy access.  I have binders with everything I made for Teachers Pay Teachers organized. The shelving organizer holds extra supplies and prizes for the “Fuzzy Behavior Management System” developed for my classroom.

Looking at the picture above, I used baskets to hold the clipboards that are needed for some of the flexible seating used throughout my room.  “Fuzzies” can also be stored on this table where they are easily accessed.

Some of the flexible seating used are:

• Yoga balls
• Bean bags
• Lowered desks that use stadium seating

The spacing is important so that the classroom doesn’t get too cluttered.  I wanted the room inviting, not overwhelming.  Students need to be able to move through the room easily.  I am excited to get this year started and with my room taking shape the way it did, I feel that anyone who walks into my room will feel comfortable with an excitement to learn!

With a little work, you can make flexible seating and organization the focal part of your classroom. I promise once you think it all through you, your students, administrators, parents, and families will all love it!