It's Time to Organize Your Classrooms!

This is a re-post of a previous one regarding classroom labels. Everyone is getting ready for the new year so it's relevant. Organize time-


We know that we need to have language every where in a preschool classroom. Kid's learn by osmosis at the preschool level, and seeing written language strengthens pre-reading skills. So a great way to advance pre-reading skills, and help promote self help skills is classroom labeling.

When you label items in your classroom it helps to have the word and picture. This helps the children understand the correlation between these symbols and the spoken word.

Another great reason to label in your classroom is clean up time. When a child can put things away on their own it gives them a sense of self sufficiency and pride. Besides it makes it easier on you. If they can pick up themselves then YOU don't have to do it all.


I found a great place to help this endeavor- Environments. They have resources for teachers that you can make up on their site and print out. You do have to register for a free membership but isn't worth it.

Here's a second website that has labels. I used those to organize my kids rooms!
http://orgjunkie.com/2007/11/organizing-kids-toys-with-cubby-storage-free-printable.html

Your Classroom May Be Effecting your Preschool Lesson Plans

Is your classroom in chaos?? Are your students not behaving? Are you not getting finished with your preschool lesson plans? It may just be your classroom layout is to blame. Here are some things to think about when arranging the layout of your classroom.

• Is there too much "stuff"? If so, this may be distracting the children. When children have too many choices they become overstimulated and the classroom becomes uncontrolled.
• Is there too little "stuff"? If there isn't enough to occupy them they will become bored and misbehave. Also, have duplicates of favorites so there aren't as many fights.
  
• Are there large spaces in the room for running? If so, rethink your layout. you can even draw it out on paper to find the best layout.
• Are your "loud" centers too close to your "quiet" centers? You need to group "loud" centers (blocks, home living) together. And group quiet centers (reading, science, writing) together. This is so the loud center activity doesn't disturb the quiet ones.

If you have tips, please use the comment button!

Preschool Lesson Plans: 5 tips for Keeping the Preschool Classroom Tidy

when you have 20 preschoolers running around, it is really hard keeping things nice and organized. But there are a few tricks of the trade. Here are five of them.

1. Start with an organized classroom. I know it sounds too easy, but it is true. If it starts neat it will be a lot easier to get back there later.
2. Teach the children how to clean up. They don't come with that skill at birth. You have to teach it. And make it fun. Turn up music and have a "musical chairs" clean up race.
   
3. Pair down toys and books. If you have too much stuff, it will be overwhelming to you and the children at clean up time. Just have out what you need. Only have theme books on the shelf. That way everything doesn't get mixed up together.
   
4. Label every thing with picture labels- blocks shelves with pictures of the blocks, the storage container for cars with pictures of cars, and so on. You can cut out pictures out of catalogs, or go to this website and print them out.
   
5. Don't have large toy bins. Toys just get lost, and it is hard to clean up. Use smaller clear storage boxes with picture labels on them.

If you have any tips be sure to leave them in the comments!!! We all can learn from each other.