The Organized Classroom

Candice Hoyt

Toolbox for TeachingStacy Erickson

Home Key Organization

The Organized Classroom

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1. The area or materials in your classroom that take the longest to clean up.

2. The “hardest” transition and what happens. Example: Between lunch and nap– takes too long, congestion at the sink.

Who We Are

• Stacy Erickson • Professional organizer specializing in spaces for child development, both in the home and in caregiving/education settings.

• Candice Hoyt • STARS trainer whose specialties include behavior support and classroom management.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify and design age-appropriate materials, set-up and schedules.

2. Follow a step by step approach to teaching and managing routines.

3. Evaluate your current space and develop a plan for change.

Table Talk

1. The area or materials in your classroom that take the longest to clean up.

2. The “hardest” transition and what happens. Example: Between lunch and nap– takes too long, congestion at the sink.

The EnvironmentIdentify and design age-appropriate materials, set-up and schedules.

Toy Clean Up Challenge

Learning Objective 1. Clean-Up Stress

Classroom Organization Checklist

1. If asked to clean up, where would you start?

2. Could you figure out where things went?

3. How would you find your favorite toy?4. Where would you set up to do an

activity?5. Observe & record usage of space &

materials

Infants

• Low shelves• Spread-out materials and half-filled baskets• One container for toys (not sorted) • Children clean up

Toddlers

• Large and fine motor activities • Choice: Learn decision making and self-regulation.• Open-ended materials • Rotate 2 weeks to one month • Master activities & try new ones.

Preschoolers

• Rooms easily cluttered• Can focus for longer amounts of time • Right amount of stimulation

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Good visibility. Too much stuff?

Nice colors, home-like.Reach too high?

Resources

• Infant Toddler Spaces by Community Playthings• http://bit.ly/InfantToddlerSpacesBook

• Child Care Licensing Guide• Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines• Materials• Development & curriculum by age

Why Organize?

Why Organize?• Less visually stimulating • Fewer materials = easier clean up

• Organization = structure• Space to prepare next activity• Less clutter = less stress• Adults & children have time to play together

• Positive mood, positive relationships

Young children need

Structured Environments

• What to expect• Where materials are kept

• Sense of trust• Trust in the environment

At-Risk Households

• Routines• What is coming next• Expected at different times of the day

• Appropriate space for expected tasks

Focus and Attention Span

• 4 year olds with longer attention span are almost 50% more likely to complete college by age 25

Helping Children Focus

Schedules• Appropriate timing • Not too much • Not too little

• Time to transition and they’re still very into the play…

• Can you lengthen these times?

• How flexible is your schedule?

• How can you make it flexible?

Materials & Environment• Keep it simple• Consider reducing the amount of items

Minimize interruption

• …by adults, other children, schedule, environmental influences.

• Child focuses longer • Lengthened periods of learning and play

• Child practices focus• Step back to see the child’s interest & attention

• Support that later

Organization StrategiesTips and Tricks for the Classroom

Take away half

Take away half

• Rotate smaller variety of each type of thing• 1-2 kinds of blocks out at one time: intentional

• More flexible materials

Organized or Flexible?

• Minimize stuff, minimize need for specific place to put away

• Shelving• Containers

• Losing literacy?

Flexible shelving for quick cleanup

Flexible shelving for quick cleanup

Flexible shelving for quick cleanup

Flexible shelving for quick cleanup

Clear Expectations• Is this something they need to ask permission for?

• Teach and support routines.

Teaching & Managing RoutinesFollow a step by step approach to teaching and managing routines.

Goals for Routines

• Children: independent, some guidance• Know routines• Quickly learn new rules• Take responsibility for routine• Group responsibility

• Teachers: some guiding, avoid directing

Enterprise Talk

• NO• Directions• Questions• Praise

• Instead:• Descriptions• Narrations• Subjective Talk

Descriptive Cue SequenceNon-Directive Speech for Procedures• Signal: Communicate it is time to transition

• “It’s time to go outside.” / “Free-choice is over.”• Teach a wordless signal

• Information: Drawing attention to• Objects involved in the procedure• What is being done correctly (reinforce)

• Model: Very little• Direction: Clear, specific – who & what• Contingency: What’s next–we’re waiting for

Descriptive Cue Sequence

• Wait 5 seconds before progressing (more for some kids)

• Do not progress to next step if children act

• Goal: They start routine after “signal”

Descriptive Cue Sequence: Cleanup1. Signal

• Verbal/non-verbal• “It’s time to ____.”• Non-verbal signals?

2. Descriptions• Information• “The doll basket is in the corner.”

3. Modeling• Do what they should do – one at a time.

• “I’m putting the dolls’ clothes in the basket.”

Descriptive Cue Sequence: Cleanup4. Direction

• Specific task – to one specific child.

• “Here, Gunnar, put this book on the shelf.”

5. Contingency• What happens after cleanup?

• “When we are finished cleaning up, we can go outside.”

Descriptive Cue Sequence: Cleanup• How is this different from what you are doing now?

• How will this help you?

Summaries with Examples

1. What is “enterprise” behavior?

2. Descriptive Cue Sequence

3. Enterprise Talk4. Intrinsically-

Phrased Response(Reinforcement)

Planning Your SpaceEvaluate your current space and develop a plan for change.

Table Talk: Your Organizational Plan

1. What could you take away to make things less cluttered?

2. What simple things could you add to help children be more engaged?

3. Are there any ways to move furniture to divide the space differently?

4. Who will support you in making these changes?

5. What other ideas do you have?

Worksheet: Organization Plan

What Is the First Thing You Will Do?

• Stacy Erickson• stacy@homekeyorganization.com 1-877-204-KEY1

• Homekeyorganization.com• /HomeKeyOrganization /homekeyseattle

• Services• Individual family/classroom consultations: organization/social media

• News on speaking engagements, articles, TV appearances

Home Key Organization

Toolbox for Teaching• Candice Hoyt

• candice@toolboxforteaching.com 206-715-1878

• Toolboxforteaching.com• /toolboxforteaching /toolboxft

• Services• In-service STARS trainings• One-on-one computer or other consultingeligible for STARS hours

• Correspondence trainings• Independent projects

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