Since the beginning of the year there have been some changes made to the layout as needed for functionality. Two of the bookcases and carts were relocated to open up the space around the smart board. The area around the smart board and on the carpet is where we have whole group instruction meetings for math with clip boards. We use this area for read alouds and for technology instruction when I teach them new apps or computer skills on the chrome books.
The box seats were an excellent purchase! I had a friend give me about 8 and then I bought the rest on amazon! They were $14 each. The best part is they are sturdy and they have storage inside. The kids can sit on them or they can use them as desks. They move around easily.
The knee table with the pillows is very popular! Next year I might have two! The other biggest draw for the students has been the tea table. This is more of a novelty they say but they love sitting there (boys and girls!).
The third most popular spot, although easily this would be on the list for first if there was enough, is the bean bags. The green blow up seats the kids loved but a couple of rough boys popped them within the first week and at $20 each, I wasn't happy, and the kids were really unhappy with them because they loved the green blow up chairs. I replaced them with bean bag chairs, which are just as popular.
The box seats the kids love, love, love when we meet for whole group. The one thing I have found myself NOT saying this year as much.... sit down in your seat right! I never have to say that. The kids have free choice every day all day of where they get to sit. If anything I sometimes have to settle disputes over someone taking someone else's seat. I can tell you that I have several ADHD kids in my class and I have a lot of energetic boys. All my second graders will miss the alternative seating next year in third grade. I am really hoping to inspire many teachers this year in the hopes that more teachers at my school will go with alternative seating! I can tell you when I started this during the summer, I had several that decided to go ahead and try some seating and now are adding a little more. Alternative seating is a good thing. What I will say is that it takes structure like anything else. You must lay down some ground rules. I stress a lot everyday walking and taking turns in our room. The kids keep all their supplies in cubby boxes that I found on amazon that fit inside the cubbies. We use a hanging file folder on the wood cabinet doors for take home folders and a few other incidental folders. As for working around the room, we use clipboards.
