The unprecedented time of COVID-19 has thrown us all out of sync from our normal routines and old-standbys. As we try to make sense of it all, creating systems for a new normal can be a huge help. Fall is another season of change, so whether you are still working from home, preparing for school in-person, online, or a hybrid... we have organizing solutions for you to help implement, modify and revamp your work space that can help motivate you to be productive and engaged.

Looking at all this change as an opportunity for growth and new ideas can actually be fun! In this series we will focus on three areas of organization for working and learning: 

• Dorm Room Organization

• Classroom Organization

• Office Organization

This second edition of our Fall Back into a Good Routine Series focuses on Classroom Organization.

Whether your children are participating in remote learning, in-person learning, or a hybrid model, the environments in which they learn will be key to success. We will outline some creative and effective solutions to set you and your family up for success for this upcoming school year. Warm, well-run classrooms begin with good organization of materials and space. The attractiveness and appeal of learning areas, storage of materials and supplies, and visual tools greatly impact a child's ability to engage with the space. Many educators consider the physical environment to be "another teacher." And in that sense it can motivate children, enhance learning, and reduce behavioral problems, environment really is an extra teacher.

The first step is to define areas that can be utilized in the classroom or at home, then make a list of supplies that will be needed for each area, lastly determine how you want to display or store those items.

Here are some suggested areas of learning to focus on:

1. News Desk

2. Supplies Zone

3. Cozy Corner

4. Math/Writing Center

5. Project/Craft Area

6. Multi-media Space

News Desk

The news desk will help you manage the calendar, assignments and projects, school-wide events, holidays, upcoming celebrations, weather, temperature, and community and world news. You can also use this space to list daily or weekly learning targets, classwork and homework. Designate a section for your students or children to share either personal or classroom-related updates. Utilize different tools for tracking daily/weekly/monthly assignments and tasks.

Supplies Zone

The supplies zone is sure to save your sanity. Here is where you provide pencils, pens, highlighters, sharpeners, staplers, scissors, hole punchers, rulers, paper, glue, tape, paperclips, tissue, paper towels, hand sanitizer, a trash can, and general tools.

Cozy Corner

During this crazy, uncertain time we all need a place to snuggle up, to reflect, to feel safe and to decompress. Making a spot that invites quiet and solitude will be a welcome addition to any classroom or home work environment. This can be a spot to read, to journal, to listen to music, and/or to practice mindfulness techniques or meditation. (More on this for adults too in our next newsletter that will focus on office organization). If possible, provide some earphones to help filter out classroom or household noise. Use study carrels or decorative screens to block visual distractions. Most importantly make the area feel inviting with comfortable seating and even stuffed study buddies.

Math/Writing Center

The subject center can really be quite simple- a table and chair that is a clean slate/uncluttered surface area. If possible you can keep all of the resources, print materials and manipulatives that you may need from time to time in close proximity to grab as needed. You can also post anchor charts, letter and number lines, word walls nearby for easy reference.

Project/Craft Area

The project/craft area can be used as a discovery zone and can house all the fun materials like manipulatives, games, puzzles, crafts, instruments and so on... all the things that spark creativity and imagination. Including a spot to display artwork and projects is a great way for children to feel that they are a part of their environment and to take pride in their explorations and ideas.

Multi-Media Space

The multi-media space is a space to house any tech that you need- a computer, laptop, tablet, charging station, headphones, etc. A quick multimedia definition is any electronic application used to teach lessons or to further educate students on a particular topic. It is a presentation of material that uses both words and pictures in a combination of test, voice, picture or video. The use of multimedia in the classroom allows educational ideas and material to be presented in a more artistic, inspired and engaging way. Helping your students or children engage in this process will be essential to their learning in our tech driven society, but even more so during Covid-19 with the online and hybrid learning platforms taking shape.

The most important thing to remember is that you can utilize even the smallest space effectively. You can set up a learning zone in a bookcase, on a shelf, on a bulletin board, or on a small desk or table. Be sure to maximize your space- backs of doors, above cabinets and under furniture are great places to maximize storage. And you don’t have to create all of our suggested learning areas, start with whichever area(s) will help you the most and see what happens. As you get organized to go back to school (whether in person or at home), it’s important to have all of your systems in place so you can have a successful start to the year. Let us know if there’s any way we can help!