Browse best practices

Arranging for independence

Erin Espinoza's kindergarten classroom encourages children to learn on their own. A classroom profile.

Format: article

By Sydney Brown.Commentary and sidebar notes by Lindy Norman.

Bulletin boards and other displays

Using your bulletin boards as a teaching tool — not just as decoration.

By Denise Young.

Classroom environment: the basics

Your classroom is "home away from home" for you and your students. Make it attractive, comfortable, and functional.

By Denise Young.

Deaf learners and successful cognitive achievement

In Reaching every learner: Differentiating instruction in theory and practice, page 3

This article surveys relevant literature on the cognitive potential of deaf learners and asserts that, under appropriate conditions, support, and instruction, deaf students can succeed in inclusive settings. Includes a list of ideal instructional conditions for deaf students in the inclusive classroom.

Format: article/best practice

By David S. Martin, Ph.D..

Designing your gym class

From classroom organization to warm-up procedures, one physical education teacher provides a blueprint for a structured physical education program.

By Bozena Mielczak and Kim Campbell.

Don't put it down, put it up!

In a fifth grade classroom based around projects, everything has its place. This classroom profile shows you the design and purpose of Debra Harwell-Braun's fifth-grade classroom.

Format: article

By Kathleen Casson.Commentary and sidebar notes by Lindy Norman.

The First Year

Essays on the author's experiences in her first year of teaching: the mistakes she made, what she learned from them, and how she used them to become a better teacher — and how other first-year teachers can, too.

Format: book (multiple pages)

Instructional goals and classroom space

Your classroom should be arranged to help you meet your pedagogical goals. Any setting, including your classroom, exerts many influences — frequently subtle — on the people in it.

Format: article

By Kathleen Casson.

Managing a classroom with brain food

Tina Maples' eighth-grade language arts students are serious about their work they do. When students work on projects they care about — what Maples calls "brain food" — they manage the classroom themselves.

By Kathleen Casson.

Managing and improving behavior in inclusive educational environments

In Reaching every learner: Differentiating instruction in theory and practice, page 4

This article presents research-based best practices in classroom behavior management. Topics addressed include the physical arrangement of the classroom, establishing effective classroom rules, creating a positive classroom environment, and using reinforcement to improve students' behavior.

Format: article/best practice

By Edward J. Sabornie, Ph.D..

One room, many uses

Patty Berge converts her eighth-grade science classroom to suit multiple instructional methods. A classroom profile.

Format: article

By Kathleen Casson.Commentary and sidebar notes by Lindy Norman.

Reaching every learner: Differentiating instruction in theory and practice

This series of articles, which balance theory, research, and practice, address a variety of topics within differentiation through text, graphics, and video.

Format: series (multiple pages)

A room for students

A learning environment where students feel that they belong is the key to success for this eighth-grade language arts teacher. A classroom profile.

Format: article

By Kathleen Casson.Commentary and sidebar notes by Lindy Norman.

Sample classroom floor plans

Basic floor plans and explanations for a traditional classroom, discussions/debates, a horseshoe arrangement, and centers.

By Mitch Katz.

The secret cultural institution in your school: The school library

A variety of best practices and imaginative ideas that the school librarian can use to create an environment where students fuse together required learning with learning that is driven by individual interest.

Format: article

By Kim Campbell.

Twelve rules for arranging your classroom

In The First Year, page 1.1

You'll want to set up your classroom as quickly as possible, but consider these factors before you start.

Format: article/best practice

By Kristi Johnson Smith.Commentary and sidebar notes by Lindy Norman.

Working with available space

Despite a space with limited possibilities, Becky Smith has organized a high school biology classroom where she can work and her students can learn. A classroom profile.

Format: article

By Sydney Brown.Commentary and sidebar notes by Lindy Norman.

Resources on the web

Class Set-up Tool

A great tool to help teachers to design an effective classroom. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: Scholastic