Tables!

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Tables!
By Kermit

I say TABLES!

Kids are less attached to THEiR chair, or THEIR table, because the space is flexible. They don't have anything to play with and dig their hands into at a table (though I keep a container with pencils
and erasers at each table.)

We can move around and have a very flexible work time. I have a class set of clipboards so any time we need one, the kids can take those and work on the floor (like for a test, I only allow 1-2 kids per table.)

I also invested in getting floor boards made at home depot from masonite. They are about 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 feet. The kids can take them

and work on the floor in a group. During group work, sometimes the tables do fill up because a group may need more space than the table can provide.

If you go with tables, you need to think about your floor space carefully as you will probably use it more as well.

Also, the kids MUST have some sort of cubby or locker to store their things in! I have community supplies in my room, but you will want easy access to their things if you don't do community supplies.

Also, a suggestion: keep ALL the science journals for example, in one bin. Just pass them out when needed. Otherwise you will have 25 kids getting up at once to get their science journals from their lockers. It would be a mess. My kids only keep their reading and writer's workshop stuff in their cubbies along with lunch. Coats and bags are hung up in the cloak room. I keep all other materials in storage containers for each subject- including their portfolios, science journals, social studies books, etc.

The only problem I can see with tables is separating kids during state testing. During tests, like I said, I have kids who want to work on the floor... but this might not be possible with your test.