Organization Essay -- essays papers

Organization First impressions are crucial. If a classroom is organized and appropriately arranged, then it is apparent that the teacher possesses good management skills. A variety of things must be considered when arranging the classroom. It â€Å"must contain interesting materials appropriate to a child’s stage of intellectual development† and not appear thrown together (Streng, 1978). All fire exits, doorways, and main walkways must be kept open and free of clutter while built in cupboards, drawers, closets, etc must be easily accessible as well. The desk arrangement, perhaps the most important element, requires several considerations. Placing the students desks in groups promotes peer tutoring and collaborative activities. However, they may tend to be more talkative and less focused. Individual seating is effective in keeping students focused and on task, but group work is often difficult and requiring time to move desks. Also, when students are separated from each other they are more dependent on the teacher for understanding since their peers are not as easily accessible. Often pairing students is a good method that promotes peer tutoring and some teamwork but has a better chance of students remaining focused and successful (Glover, 1994). Learning and teaching styles need to be considered, as well as how the classroom should be run, before arranging desks. The teacher’s desk should be strategically placed so all students can be seen and any important areas such as a black board are not blocked. Organized teachers will their desk neat and free of clutter. If the desk is cluttered time is being wasted trying to find important papers and information. Be selective about what goes on the desk so that there isn’t u... .... Providing structure, preventing problems. Retrieved September 24, 2001 from http://warthog.cc.wm.edu/TTAC/articles/challenging/problems.htm. This is an article from the College of William and Mary Website that provides ideas and examples of how to maintain order and structure in your classroom. Steele, K. Tips for organizing your desk. Retrieved November 8, 2001 from http://www.angelfire.com/ks/teachme/4yourdesk.html#Be%20Selective. A website that has four helpful tips to keeping your desk organized and clean. Thompson, M.W. (1994, December 10). Controlling the Classroom's Chaos; Rookie Instructors Often Find Discipline Is Their Toughest Lesson. The Washington Post, p. A1. An article from a series by The Washington Post about first year teachers and how they handle certain situations. This one focuses on discipline and how to handle bad kids.