Update: Here’s my classroom set-up for the new school year – many improvements!!
Today I wanted to give you a look into where I spend almost 12 hours of every day…my classroom! Last year, our school underwent major renovations, and I now have a beautiful new room to show off 🙂 I put so much time and energy into my students’ success, and I wanted to show you how I have set up my classroom. (You may have to click on the pictures to enlarge them)
Classroom organization ideas:
I teach Kindergarten Autism Support. I have all boys! As you can see, I use “mood lighting” in my room so I don’t have to use the awful flourescent overhead lights.
To your left…
My schedule gives people a headache. BUT – I PROMISE IT WORKS! I tell my assistants “Just trust the schedule” when they doubt me in September…and within a few weeks they live by the schedule as well! I use this schedule to plan out every day…and then we make the students schedules every day from this big schedule. Here’s a closer look:
Next to the schedule:
A closer look at some of the organization tools used here:
Let’s go around the corner…
On the other side of my desk:
Time-out…a necessary evil in Autistic Support
Now onto happier places:
It’s kind of embarassing how much I love that rug… :p
Quite possibly my favorite spot in the room…
Next to the Book Nook-
And onto the next center (in the middle of the room)…
Here is where I do all of my direct instruction:
Finally…the last center is next to my green center:
Well…I am sure there will be questions about this!! PLEASE feel free to ask them…about how I run my class, about students with Autism, about curriculum, about fixtures in the room, etc.! Or, feel free to tell me that you don’t really care about my classroom 😉 I’ll try not to be offended!
Wow! Christina, this makes me seriously impressed! It also makes me remember how much WORK goes into teaching! I love your mood lighting, and the book nook is perfect! Great job!
Wow! Your organization is truly inspirational! I love all of the different stations and I'm sure it helps the kids to have everything in it's place and a place for everything. Thanks for linking up to my party! You've definitely given me some good ideas 🙂
I think that if you and I live close to each other we would be great friends! Aside from our love of crafting, I am entering the education field as a School Psychologist. I am very interested in learning more about Autism. Your classroom looks great by the way!
Hannah
Love your classroom! You can tell you love your kids and would do anything for them! I love seeing other teachers' rooms!! It's funny how the small things like a rug can just make the day! lol!
What a fabulous classroom! I also have my teaching degree but I give you way more credit then me. I could never teach in an Autism classroom! You are so organized which I know you have to be because I have had just a few students that needed all those visuals to help them.
Bless your sweet soul! I was a teacher for 6 years…have moved on to teaching teachers. How rewarding your position must be. I've always loved working with students who receive special services. My aunt is MR and honestly, she has taught me so much. I just love her…as I'm sure you love your kiddos! 🙂
Wow, your classroom looks like so much fun! Those kids are so lucky to have you!!
My brother is autistic so I know how that type of learning occurs. I am so impressed with your classroom, and by the looks of it, you have an assistant, and only four kids? Wow! I need to send my kids to a good school district,just like you have.
your classroom looks so fun and homey! 🙂 i should show my husband (he teaches sixth grade). the pics will give him some pointers!!!
Wow, very organized. Good job. I am a sort of schedule type of person…..and agree some times schedules are crazy & ridiculous but heck, they work!
Love this!
sounds like you do wonderful work! love how organized the room is, the kids must really thrive off that 🙂
love the way you have arrange a very friendly learning room, it's the best one i have seen. i would love to do something like that for my grandson that we are homeschooling. thank you so much for sharing your ideas with the rest of world
My son is in 2nd grade and has Autism. I can not tell you what it means to have good teachers who care about their jobs and their kids! {We just moved to a new school due to HORRIBLE teachers. Long story short I couldn't figure out why my son was having such severe anxiety that it was causing him to eat pencils – yes pencils. And no, the teacher did not notice. Turns out all year she with held his sensory breaks and didn't follow the IEP. Nice. It took all I had to sit in my chair that meeting} From a mom — thank you. Your students look so lucky to have you!!
What a beautiful classroom! Your students are lucky to have such a dedicated teacher, it really shows.
Londen
I can't believe the space you have! I really love that everything in your classroom has a place and a reason to be there. WHere do you teach, I am currently working toward my elementary education degree but I am debating doing Special Education.
I wanted to thank you for posting this. I work as a behavior consultant doing positive behavior support for children and adults with developmental disabilities…mostly with individuals with autism. I wish every teacher had these organizational skills, and that I had your craftiness! Thanks for posting all of your great ideas, which I can copy in my "spare time". ;0)
Great room! With number 12 on the way and I home school, I too know how it is important to keep things organized and fun.
Your classroom is sooo cute, lucky kids to have an awesome teacher!!
I taught Special Eduacation at the secondary level for twenty years ans loved every minute that I was there. Your room is a dream room! Making the room homey and comfortable really invites learning. Your students are so lucky to have you!
The classroom and setup show how much you really care for the students, what a great place to be learning and working.
hello! good job!
our organization together with another is renovating this non-profit school for autistic kids. their classrooms do not cater much to the needs of the children since they only rely on donations. so now, we are working on a budget (charity work) and i have a question regarding the spatial sequencing of the classroom (reverse inclusion classroom?) as the space is limited:
1. is it alright to combine 2 activities in a single area? if so, like what sort of activities?
2. how do we arrange things/materials to encourage pupil independence, routine?
3. would it be a good idea to provide individual lockers per child?
looking forward to your reply.
thank you this would really be useful for us.
Bernie
WOW!! This is so helpful. This fall I will be starting an autism program in an elementary school and found out my starting five students are k-1. Your pictures and blog is so helpful for ideas, because I can't find too many helpful images to set up my class!
What a great learning environment! I love your master schedule. I’m curious as to all the pictures on your schedule. Some of them were hard to make out. Can you share what is on your entire schedule?
Hi Emily! The pictures on the schedule are either pictures of the centers (A red circle signifies the red center), regular education classrooms, special area classes, and related services (Speech, OT & PT). I’ll be posting all about my *new* classroom set-up this year in a few weeks (it’s pretty different than last year).
I was a first and second grade teacher before I had children. Love your mood lighting and book nook. Great setup. I will pass this along to my son’s teacher for inspiration!
🙂
Hey quick question how did you make your schedule board? I LOVE it!!!
Wow, your classroom is incredible. I found your blog while researching for a grad class presentation. I am in charge of teaching about classroom adaptations for students with autism, and I just decided that I am going to color-print your entire blog post so that my classmates can look closely at each detailed picture. Thank you for all of the ideas!
Hi Christina,
I’m so glad I stumbled on your website! You are so organized, I was wondering how you organize and track everyone’s IEPs objectives. I have been struggling to come up with a convenient way to do this.
hello, I’m working on designing the lighting for a school right now. I realise that fluorescent lighting has a bad rap, but how do you feel about this? Is your ‘mood’ lighting chosen due to the autism? I know I would feel very tired if I had such warm, dim lighting all day. I’ve discovered this lighting system which adjusts for different moods (calm, energetic, focused, etc.) http://www.lighting.philips.com/main/application_areas/school/schoolvision/index.wpd (its worth a look at)
Can you give me more feedback on this?
Do you have a computer version of your schedule? I saw that you also posted a new one.
I just graduated from college and will be teaching a Life Skills class with students who are autistic. I was wondering what are some of the lesson plans you use for your classroom?