The view from here.
When I sit down at my desk, which is .... well, never, but if I were to sit down at my desk I would want to see a well-organized, brightly lit, colorful and inviting space. Rather than having the room filled with junk and STUFF, I want to have it filled with music, plants, art and students who are engrossed in projects. Some pets would be nice, too. To this end I am a ruthless 'cleaner, straightener and thrower away of things' person. I also have some quirky methods to keep crap from encroaching into class.
Clutter = Children. Since kids are well oiled machines for producing chaos and waste, how does a teacher keep up a clean working space? One method I have found most effective is to banish desks. This seems counter-intuitive; if you take away a storage area for student materials and supplies, the materials and supplies will overtake the room! That has not been my experience.
I initially replaced desks with work tables in the 1990’s, when I worked at a charter school that focused on whole group and co-operative learning. We clumped kids and emphasized team-building. I couldn’t help but notice how much more readily students shared resources using this model. Cubbies in the back of the class housed the texts, extra paper and worksheets. There were table supplies in baskets, and every one had equal access to all the necessary materials. Students didn’t hoard or vandalize supplies as readily. There was more space to work and less trash to pick up. This became my classroom set up of choice, and most administrators have been very supportive. All custodians LOVE it!
Desks remain the bane of my class climate. Whether it is a student or teacher desk, they represent a trap - of mess, proprietorship, isolation and bad housekeeping. An awful lot of STUFF can fit into a small desk – hiding what's needed, spilling out at the most inconvenient of times. Nix ‘em.
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