Tried It Tuesday!

                                          
For this week's Tried It Tuesday linky from Fourth Grade Flipper, I tried switching from desks to tables.

We departmentalized the year I switched rooms. I grew tired of hearing students complain their pencils, pens, scissors, glue, etc. had been taken. Last year, I turned all the desks backwards to form tables, and made students keep supplies only in their cubbies.

This year, I took the plunge, and swapped desks for the round tables. I decided tables freed up walk space. The cubbies had reduced the amount of visual clutter. The round tables, although they don't all match, are more visually appealing and lend themselves to collaborative work and discussion, a must in my classroom. The tables do encourage a little extra talking, but when students have the opportunity to choose their seats, they will fight to keep them. Excessive talking moves them to the "time out" table.

I am negotiating with colleagues to exchange the two mismatched tables for the matching ones. I am also trying to get a new group work table for my co-teacher, a kidney shaped one. I need more table and floor space next year with a larger class coming. Mismatched or not, trading my desks in for tables was the best decision. My goal is to make my classroom into a "Literary Lounge". Think Barnes and Noble.

What things have you tried that made a difference in your classroom? Link Up!