In the digital age, it is increasingly common that classrooms show a significant presence of technological devices that redesign their layout and daily interactions. However, this redesigning is less the result of the direct intervention of designers and architects than the effect of local and usually more silent arrangements that find ways to…

You likely have dreams for your early childhood environment that are greater than rating scales, regulations, and room arrangements. "Designs for Living and Learning" has been a favorite resource among educators and caregivers for more than a decade, and this new edition is packed with even more ideas that can be used as you create…

Research has shown that rooms with greater amounts of open floor space have higher test results. Four recent trends that have negatively impacted open space in classrooms: (1) storage of CCSS materials in the classroom, (2) storage of science kits in the classroom, (3) inability to remove unwanted material, and (4) inability to remove unneeded…

Gifted teachers possess a talent for generating an atmosphere of connectedness and focus in the classroom, and state standards emphasize the importance of student engagement. This article presents suggestions for teachers that can increase the chances that their students will be fully engaged during a lesson. The issues of time (length of…

A preschool staff project was undertaken to develop and implement a more efficient curriculum organization plan and curriculum rotation system. The aim of the project was to provide a healthier working environment by improving communication among the teaching team, organizing curriculum storage outside the classroom, designing curriculum rotation…

Compares the organization of supermarkets to classroom environments. Emphasizes the efficient use of space with the use of containers, keeping materials in place, and grouping objects together. Provides suggestions on the use of color and adding storage space. (MOK)

Classroom areas organized into centers for specific study purposes are discussed. These centers are used for individual or small group work. The physical arrangement of the area used for a study center is described, including the organization of furniture, materials, and preferred locations. Suggestions are made for the management and stocking of…

With the advent of the informal or open classroom, a new area of concern has become important--classroom arrangement. In the past, classrooms were oriented toward the front, toward the teacher's desk and the blackboard. Education depended mainly on the pupil's interaction with the teacher and with printed materials. Nowadays, in informal…

A developmental setting for multi-handicapped preschool children and the physical layout of the classroom are described. Photographs and drawings of specially designed educational equipment, such as a shallow sand and water table adapted for wheelchair-bound children and an adjustable easel that allows armless children to paint with their feet,…

This collection of 4 bilingual papers on facilities and equipment in day care centers is part of a series of papers on various aspects of day care published by the Canadian Department of Health and Welfare. Each paper is presented in both English and French. Paper I, concerning space and equipment in the playground, consists of short lists of…

Twelve assumptions concerning learning are presented which underlie the rationale for the establishment of learning laboratories in 3 small high schools in Utah. Based on these assumptions, 12 specific recommendations are made for the improvement of education in small, rural schools through implementation of the learning laboratory concept. A…