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A Well-Organized Space...

"When space is well-organized, with open pathways that clearly lead to activities that offer enough to do, children manage on their own. They can move freely from one activity to another, giving the teacher an opportunity to attend to individual children according to their needs..." (Earlychildhoodnews.com, 2018).

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An Inclusive Space...

Nicole Eredics, child advocate recently published an article on how to better set-up an inclusive classroom.  As research has recently began to demonstrate how the inclusive classroom better propels children of all socioeconomic backgrounds, races and abilities; Nicole has aligned a few best practices in classroom setup that help support this idea.  

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1. Place Student Desks in Groups—Put desks in small groups (2–4 desks per group) so that all students have the opportunity for cooperative learning, collaboration, and discussion. 

2. Provide Centers—Centers appeal to various learning styles, but they must be accessible and open. Placing books on a high shelf is limiting for a smaller student or one who is in a wheelchair.

3. Meeting Spot—Create one area of the classroom where the students can come together to have discussions, develop social skills, and participate in large group activities. 

4. Classroom Decor—An inclusive classroom needs to be decorated in a way that does not create distraction and sensory overload. Too many bright colors, posters, clutter, and furniture can easily distract the most focused child!

5. Safety/Emergency Preparedness—Ensure adequate space for all students to move safely around the room. Clear clutter, stabilize furniture, tape down wires and cables, and place signs and symbols around the room that point out exit and entry ways in case of an emergency.

This in turn can affect feelings of belonging, success, and self-esteem. Carefully planning out the physical space of the classroom strongly supports an inclusive learning environment.

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(The Whole Child, 2015)

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