Classroom Furniture

Keeping your classroom stocked, clean, and organized is almost as important as choosing the right lesson plans. (Okay...maybe not THAT important but it's a close second!) Purchasing baskets, bins and shelving units are a great start for storing supplies and lesson materials; but it is equally important to help students keep themselves organized and ready to learn. Here are five great ways to implement classroom cubbies to give your class a head start!

Choose cubbies that are large enough for everything you want stored off the floor and out of desks. You can find some models that are very inexpensive, but they are generally smaller in size and not as sturdy for holding things like books and backpacks. Wooden wall cubbies are a great choice, as well as space saving plastic models built into a unit like our 30 Tray Mobile Chalkboard Island. This model also features a chalkboard on the side for leaving homework assignments or instructions.

Let your cubby station show a little personality! Choose models that come in bright colors, or that can be painted in the design of your choice. This not only adds a little extra fun and flavor to the classroom, but helps kids remember which cubby belongs to whom.

If you purchase a larger cubby unit, be sure you find one that will not tip under extreme weight and pressure. Our variety of tip proof cubbies won't fall over, no matter how rambunctious your class gets.

Buy cubby holders that are suitable for multiple age groups, especially if you buy portable models. This ensures that should classrooms be moved around, you have multiple age groups in one room, or the unit has to be moved: you are prepared for kindergarteners and Pre-teens alike.

Don't buy cubbies that will eventually be dated. This goes for homes and classrooms alike. A character or design that is popular for the moment may not even be recognized by children five years from now. Go with classic wood storage units or those with primary bright colors.

One of the main goals of any teacher is an organized classroom. Time management and classroom management are both affected by how organized or unorganized a classroom is. To get the most out of every day, teachers need a place for everything that they use on a daily basis and those items that they use periodically throughout the year. Storage doesn't have to be boring. Teachers can get students involved by having classroom storage that makes learning fun.

Cubbies For Student Belongings

Cubbies are one of the most popular ways to keep a classroom organized. Having a labeled cubby for each student gives them their own area where they can store their items and where teachers can put any work, projects, or notes that need to go home. It is easy to involve students in putting away their items or a classmate's items. This is a fun way for students to learn each other's names and to learn to be responsible in the classroom.

Storage For Classroom Supplies

Many cubbies, such as the 10 Tray Mobile Storage Unit, come with removable plastic drawers. This is a great way to store manipulatives such as snap blocks, plastic letters, or counters that are used on a regular basis within the classroom. For students who are still learning to read, each plastic draw can be labeled with a picture of the item that is inside. Students will love being called on to retrieve an item for the teacher or a classmate.

Another fun way to use cubbies is to store art supplies. Items such as construction paper, markers, crayons, paintbrushes, and smocks can be stored in separate cubbies. Students can get items out as needed. This can be a fun way to organize and to teach students how to be responsible for their classroom.

Book Displays

Book displays are another fun way to help students learn and to keep the classroom organized. Most classrooms have many books that are available to students during quiet reading time, for book reports, or free time. Keeping these books organized makes it much easier for students to choose the books that interest them.

Book displays give teachers a way to show books so that students can easily find what interests them. A good display angle the books so cover pictures and titles are visible, rather than just spines. They also make it easy for students to be responsible for organizing books and returning books to the proper place.

Portable Storage

For items that are used on a regular basis, a portable storage option is the way to go. Cubbies such as the See, Store, and Take-Along Storage Cart are removable and come with lids that have handles. These types of storage cubbies can be retrieved and carried by students giving them a since of pride. Items will be organized and easily accessible when they are needed.

These are just some of the many ways that classroom storage makes learning fun. Involving students in the organization of the classroom will give them a since of pride and will give teachers the time they need to concentrate on teaching.

Most school furniture is functional and should not be a distraction to students. Quality furniture should look good and last year after year. The less distractions in a classroom the better, however, you can make your classroom look really nice by providing attractive wood desks, cubbies, storage and room separators.

Young Children perform better with designated areas of the room. There should be an area for teacher instruction, an area for independent seat work, an area for group play, an area for writing, and story time. Having an assigned place in your room for your daily activities is essential to keep children focused on their work.

Good classroom furniture is durable and designed to last for a long time. It is common for kids to spill or mark up desks and tables. The goal is to find desks and furniture that last for a long time and can withstand several different students sitting at them throughout the day putting wear and tear on them. Durability means sturdy, which also means you definitely don't want something made of particle board or cheap wood. You want good constructed furniture that is going to last for a long time for many years. Don't choose something that when it gets wet repeatedly it changes the color of the wood and begins to destroy the integrity of the wood. Longevity is important because schools can't afford to make repeated purchases of the same items. Furniture with multiple coats of varnish and made of superior wood like maple is an expensive but great choice.

Good classroom furniture needs to be comfortable to prevent fidgeting. If you choose something with a unique design and looks pretty cool it may not be comfortable for students to sit at it. Keep in mind that students will be sitting at the desk for hours and they need to be comfortable. It is distracting to students if they are not comfortable, which will means it will be tough for them to concentrate. However, you don't want the furniture to be too comfortable because then you might provide a cozy atmosphere where everyone wants to relax and sleep. You must find a happy medium.

Desks and furniture in a classroom need to have plenty of workspace for students. Some desks have hardly any workspace and they are impossible to have a book on them and a notebook to take notes.

The last thing you want is a student trying to maneuver their books and notebook to figure out how they are going to work. Eventually they will give up on taking notes and doing anything but sit there and it will all be due to a desk without enough work space. Be sure there is plenty of space on the desk for a book, notebook and arm rest. This will allow for a student to work comfortably without it being awkward.