Designing a Meeting Area and Work Spaces

I hope to post lots of photos here of well designed classrooms where workshop teaching takes place.  I think you need the following things in order to support demonstration teaching, engaged learning, and independent work time with young students.

• A meeting area with assigned spots for students to sit next to partners.
• An easel to demonstrate reading and writing.
• A schedule posted at the meeting area.
• Tables and other clear work spaces for students to work beside other students.  For management purposes, I tend to think tables of 4 are best, but you may like tables of up to 6 students.
• A writing center.
• A place for each student to keep his/her reading like a book baggie in a table bin or a magazine box for each student lined up on a shelf.