Classroom Set Up Considerations - Tips from a Special Education Teacher

While school year calendars vary around the world, up here in the northeast US, we're starting to see lots of back-to-school content - commercials for back to school clothes shopping, dorm room accessories in stores, and, of course, teacher influencers setting up their classrooms on social media. Especially as a new teacher, I loved watching classroom setup videos because it gave me so many ideas of what I wanted to do in my own room. And while there are plenty of pinterest boards and trending hashtags, I feel like the majority of the focus tends to be on making the room cute and not necessarily on the functionality and accessibility of our rooms. So I decided to write up some tips for you that I've learned over the years to help you make your room safe, comfortable and welcoming for your students and other adults!

Physical Space

Make Room

I grew up in a school system with a great special education program and many of my classmates had physical accessibility needs - they used wheelchairs, crutches, canes... My first year teaching, we had four students using wheelchairs in prek alone, not to mention the upper grades. So this is something that automatically is at the forefront of my mind when designing my space. You want to make sure that there is space for larger mobility aides to fit in the pathways of your room. This may look like wider paths between desks. You also want to think about flooring. Will there be rugs that get in the way of a user's wheels? Is there a step somewhere like onto a mini stage by your circle time area? Imagine moving about your space with a wheelchair, moving a white cane, or with cautious steps. What things would get in the way and is there a way to rearrange to make your space more accessible? How can you balance space for movement without encouraging running around the room?

You also might consider how a person needing to hold onto things for balance would navigate the room. Are there wheels on your furniture that can be locked to avoid them rolling around during the day? How tall are your pieces of furniture and do they allow for someone to use them for balance? I love alternative seating in a classroom and we often had tables at different heights for different chairs, so think about how different seating and table heights can be used to allow a variety of students to use them. My challenge this year is figuring out how to make the island in my classroom accessible for my littles. We're getting some of those counter step stools, but I also want to come up with other ideas for kids who might not be able to stand on them.

Are there places for sitting that are safe and comfortable for people who can't stand for long periods? Or alternatively, places students can work while standing? One of my third graders used to always work at the back counter where he could stand up and wiggle. Are there seating options for different sized bodies? Whether that be students or parents of preschoolers who come in for conferences, no one wants to sit in a chair that doesn't fit them!

Noise

I love playing music in the background while my kids are playing. I have music playing right now while I'm writing this blog post! But for some people, too much background noise can be distracting or overwhelming. You might have a student with a language processing disorder or a student who is deaf/hard of hearing and needs to focus extra on listening to the important sounds of people talking, and adding another layer of noise behind that can make it a lot harder. Know when it's appropriate to play music and when you might need quiet.

As a preschool teacher, every room I've been in has a construction center. And while I try to switch up the toys regularly to keep it interesting, we do use a lot of wood blocks. And those can be loud when dropped! My teacher of the deaf I worked with for two years suggested we get an area rug for that center to dampen the noise. We also used tennis balls and those non-scratch things you put on the bottom of furniture to lessen the chair squeaks. All of this let our students focus on the important sounds rather than background noise.

Visuals

I love a good lamp, ceiling light cover and window. I promised myself I would not be a "big light on" kind of teacher and would use these things instead. But then I realized there needs to be a balance. Ample light is important - for kids who are blind and have some form of light perception, for deaf kids who need to focus on visual cues, for people like me who might want to fall asleep as soon as it gets dark in the room! How can you incorporate natural light or soft light while still making your room visible?

While I have a lot of feelings on classroom themes, I know they're not going anywhere. I mean, I love a cutesy theme as much as the next elementary teacher, but we also need to think about who that theme is for. Is it for you or the kids? How can you keep the room cute but functional? Think about the colors you use on your walls. You want something that provides contrast and is not too distracting. I'd stay away from the the neon colors and zebra prints and keep those for home (my house is covered in cheetah spots!) Many students require a high contrast between background and text, though you might also consider soft color backgrounds rather than black on white, for those that need it. You should also consider the fonts you use. I'm a huge fan of the Kimberly Geswein fonts personally because there is variety while also being readable. Especially for kiddos learning their letters, clear examples are key!

Also where are the visuals in your room? Is it at a typical student's eye level? Can they touch it or is it out of reach?

Emergencies

This one is more of a building admin/custodian thing, but it's good to think about emergencies and drills. Does your fire alarm have a light component so deaf students can be aware of emergencies? Is the path you will take outside in the event of an evacuation clear of obstacles or steps? While you may not be able to make structural changes, having a plan for emergencies and how you will get your students safely to where they need to be is important.

Other things to think about

Are there scented sprays or other accessories that might affect people with migraines or other sensory needs? Do any of your students require changing tables or larger bathroom stalls? Can doors be opened with buttons or propped to allow people through without holding the door themselves? Can student materials be accessed by kids of different heights? Do you need a step stool at the sink for kids who need it? Can all students access every student space in your area (calming corner, backpack hooks...)?

Remember - these accommodations and modifications can benefit everyone! Check out the resources at the end of this post to learn more about the curb cut effect!

Emotional Space

Individual Goals

One thing I'm glad to see less of lately is the infamous clip chart. While some teachers found it helpful as a classroom management tool, many students experienced stress or upset when they were on the lower levels. Think about how you can individualize your behavior management to not call attention to unexpected behavior in front of peers. Does a student have their own token economy on their desk that no one else can see? Do you give a quiet signal to rethink a student's choice?

Similarly, I've seen a few preschool goal boards (and some for big kids) where a student's current academic level is on display for the class to see - a chart demonstrating something like how high a student can count or who knows which times tables. What about our students who are not performing well on these tasks? Is it motivating or embarrassing? Helping children set and keep track of their progress on goals is so important, but how can you keep it motivating and emotionally safe? Think also about the language you use around your kids. Here's a great video I love about not saying things are "easy" in the classroom.

Who is welcome in your classroom?

The decor we put up and the books we read reflect the values we hold in our classroom. Actions speak louder than words - a simple "all are welcome" signs means nothing if you don't actively show it. Think about what books you put out in your library. Is each of your students and teachers' cultural backgrounds represented? Are their families represented? Do you have books in different languages and formats (Braille, audiobooks...)? With many places experiencing book bans, this can be tricky to navigate for teachers who have to follow rules they don't agree with. I've been seeing lately some companies make signs specifically marketed around these concerns (like these which I love). I encourage you to thoughtfully consider what it would mean for your students and families to see themselves and others in the stories and decor in your room. Make the decision that is right for you - think about the benefits and potential negative consequences. What do you want your students to see you fighting for?

The majority of the preschool classrooms I've worked in have been NAEYC accredited, and this organization has specific requirements around decor, art, books, etc that need to be included in your classroom. I think it provides a good baseline for starting to make your classroom more representative of the world at large. Do you have nonfiction pictures in your classroom? What do you notice physically about the people in those photos? Are they all the same or reflective of our global society and the differences we have?

I had a pride flag up for 5 years in each of my classrooms (you can get it here) and I like to include pictures of students' families (if they're comfortable with it). You can also look at the resource I'm building that includes pictures of kids in many different roles.

Takeaways

Wow! That's a lot to think about! How am I supposed to remember all of this? You don't have to. Take it one step at a time (or one curb cut at a time)! What is something you can do today to make your learning space more physically and emotionally accessible for your students? You don't have to go out now and redo your entire classroom overnight, but these are good places to start. What's your first curb cut?

Thanks for reading and I hope this inspires you to look at your classroom in a different way!