Classroom Environment

Our classrooms reflect the interests and needs of our students. Classrooms will look different each year, and vary from teacher to teacher. We value a space that invites children into learning and encourages intellectual risk-taking. This includes the physical setup, but also the culture that teachers build with their classroom community. The Scarsdale classroom culture and environment foster critical thinking that yields capable, motivated readers and writers. Our classrooms encourage independence and productivity.

Room Arrangements

The physical classroom environment is a critical variable in contributing to student learning, developing relationships and building a literacy rich environment. A positive classroom environment supports student learning by providing a warm, nurturing space where students can thrive while feeling comfortable and included. Promoting a sense of belonging offers a safe space to learn, to ask questions and to tackle challenges. This environment which supports the workshop model includes a class meeting area, spaces for students to work independently, and in partnerships, and a designated location for tools and resources.

We have organized and accessible classroom libraries full of rich literature for our students.

This kindergarten classroom shows student materials clearly labeled and organized, to maximize transition and instructional time.

Reading nooks and cozy corners offer students a comfortable space to fall in love with reading.

Meeting area

The meeting area is a place where all students can see, hear and interact with the teacher and their peers while a mini-lesson is taught.

This is a comfortable space large enough to accommodate all students.
Teaching equipment is nearby and easily accessible. This could include: an easel, Smart TV, or document camera that allows for close study of text.
Students materials should also be easily accessible. This could include: book bins, mentor texts, laptops or tablets.
Anchor charts are displayed by the meeting area and teaching points are added from each day’s lesson.
Children gather as closely as possible to the teacher. They often sit beside their partner to foster communication.

Our classrooms are designed with a meeting space in mind. Students come to the meeting area for lessons and small group work.

Students have countless opportunities to engage in digital and media literacy with our 1:1 tech program.

Anchor charts

An anchor chart is a large chart using student friendly language clearly displaying information or instruction. It is used to promote student independence.

It is easily accessible and visible throughout the classroom.
This tool supports ideas and strategies taught during reading and writing workshop.
Thinking is made visible and offers a model to reference during independent work.

Teachers use a variety of tools to support and challenge their students.

Teachers use charts and images to encourage students to find just right books and fall in love with reading.

Teachers hang anchor charts help students solidify the important ideas from a lesson.

Our classrooms are full of students engaging in self reflection, as they set goals to promote growth.

Work Area

The work area is critical to support students in working for long stretches of time.

The arrangement of the furniture should allow the teacher to freely move among the students.
Children should be able to transition from the meeting area to the work area easily and quickly.
Students are provided with flexible seating opportunities which can include: clusters of desks, tables, or gathered on the rug.
There is a separate area for teachers to provide small group instruction.

Teachers work side by side with students and provide targeted small group instruction.

Our students balance digital and media literacy with traditional pencil and paper work.

Teachers and students celebrate one another's writing through publishing parties with authentic and detailed feedback.

Word Walls

A word wall is a collection of words which are displayed in large visible letters on a wall or bulletin board. It is frequently accessed by students and used to encourage independence as a writer and reader.

Interactive tools containing a collection of high frequency words clearly displayed on a classroom wall.
The word wall can be utilized as a reference to support word recognition, identifiable patterns and sounds, and spelling.
Word walls in lower and upper elementary classrooms could also include content area vocabulary words.

Teachers use charts to anchor big ideas from lessons and units. Primary classrooms have word walls to help students tackle high frequency words.

Classroom Library

The classroom library is at the center of the reading workshop. Students should have access to books to develop a love of reading.

Classroom libraries are organized by reading levels, genre, series, author and topic.
Students are exposed to a wide variety of texts that support understanding of an ever-changing global world.
Students are given ample opportunity to “shop” for books and select texts they find interesting and engaging. Student choice is motivating for all readers.
Classrooms often have multiple copies of books for partner and club work

Students have access to a variety of texts often participating in the organization and sometimes leveling of classroom libraries.

Our classroom libraries have books in a variety of formats.

Our libraries have a range of just right high-interest books.

Librarians and teachers work together to support our students.

Writing Center

The writing center is a place designated to store various writing materials. This could include: paper of different shapes and sizes, copies of mentor texts, three-hole punches, tape dispensers, scissors, writing utensils, revision tools and dictionaries.

K-2 Writing Materials

In K-2, children use a writing folder. All of a child’s recent work is kept in a folder that is separated into a finished work pocket and a work in progress pocket. One suggestion is to use a red dot on the left inside pocket for finished work and a green dot on the right inside pocket for work in progress.
There can be a number of writing utensils such as pencils, thin marker pens or pens. Some advantages of using a pen are that they don’t smudge, break or need sharpening. Also a teacher can see a student’s revision progress when work is crossed out rather than having been erased.
The kind of paper chosen affects the writing that children will produce. The paper is different depending on the unit of study. The number of lines on each page varies based on a student’s writing stamina and ability.

3-5 Writing Materials

In 3-5, children use a writer’s notebook which is generally a marble composition book. Writers often personalize the cover of their notebook.
Children need a writing folder for drafts, mentor texts and rubrics for self-assessment. These folders are emptied after a unit of study.
There can be a number of writing utensils such as pencils, thin marker pens or pens. Some advantages of using a pen are that they don’t smudge, break or need sharpening. Also a teacher can see a student’s revision progress when work is crossed out rather than having been erased.
Children can use lined paper, laptops or tablets to draft and publish writing.

We celebrate the revision process as an opportunity for our students to not only reflect on their work, but also improve as writers. While some classrooms have centers, others embed the revision process within the workshop.