What do you have out on children's desks in your classroom?

[Dysgu]

I am getting ready to return to work after 10 months Maternity Leave. I am going back into my own classroom which has been stripped bare and I need to set up everything - my class was covered by a number of different supply teachers so there has been no consistency and we are going to be 'starting over' almost as though it is September.

I am getting through all of the planning (I have discussed everything with the new supply teacher who is taking over the parallel class) and am going in at the end of the week so sort out the wall displays.

Children are in sets for English and Maths so move between the two classes. The seem to bring everything but the kitchen sink to lessons - although there seemed to be a number of children still turning up without basic equipment (pens, pencils etc) when I went in to meet the class - Year 5.

I can find very little in the way of resources so will be drawing up quite a wishlist but I am wondering what you consider to be the essential items to have available for the children - either on or close by their desks?

[2kidsintow]

I have table pots in the middle of the tables that are split into 4 little sections. In there are rulers (20cm ones that aren't too cumbersome, but are still wide enough for them to rule off across the whole page), a selection of writing pencils, a selection of coloured pencils, enough glue sticks for one between 2 and a handful of rubbers.
Each table has a coloured sign (a balloon downloaded from twinkl) and nearly everything in the pots has been colour coded with a strip of tape in the same colour.
There are table points for tidy tables and the coloured tape makes it easy to find where random left equipment belongs.

I also have a small box in the middle of each table that is big enough for them to stash their reading books and reading records. I used to get them to keep them in their bags, but this year's lot are a fussy, loud lot so I've introduced quiet reading at register time, so they need them on their tables every day now.

[Dysgu]

Hmm - I wonder where there might be some 20cm rulers?! About the only thing I can find in the room is a bag of 30cm rulers. My table pots seem to have vanished so I really am starting from scratch.

I like the idea of colour coding everything... Thank you.

[partystress]

Enough glue sticks for one between two??? At my school we have heard tales of lands such as these, where glue sticks do not become invisible or get eaten within two weeks of the start of the school year, but I have never come across anyone who has actually been there! What is your secret 2kids?

[dramajustfollowsme]

I have pots up at the back of the class with spare pencils, rubbers, rulers and sharpeners. Most of my kids take massive pencil cases so these really are just spares or in case I catch someone with a ridiculously short pencil.
The glue sticks and scissors are in my cupboard.
I have a tray in the middle of each table where they all put their pencil cases. This tray is also where unfinished or needing corrections work is kept.
I also have a jar in each table where the kids collect golden nuggets for house points. These are gold plastic stones I got in dunelm, I think they are supposed to go in vases with flowers! The kids also have vcop pyramids for "big writing" on their tables.
Good luck with your class!

[Dysgu]

I am also in awe of anyone who can leave glue sticks out but that may be down to the class I had before my maternity leave where I had a child who would eat ANYTHING left out!

I like the idea of just having pots somewhere in the class where I keep spares (could include un-named stuff picked up off the floor) that children can borrow rather than tubs in the middle of each table as most children do bring their own equipment; I am just trying to avoid that child who, 15 minutes into the lesson, declares they don't have anything to write with.

I also have a stack of VCOP sheets ready to be laminated - any other helpful ideas of resources to have out on tables (x table grids maybe)? Will have to trawl through my documents from when i last set up my own room...
Thank you for all ideas.

[Yr4Teacher]

Namechanged to avoid Outing myself totally...

I have tool-box style 'trugs'. One side has Maths resources, the other literacy. There are whiteboards and a lidded tub of whiteboard pens and rubbers and a tub of coloured pencils. The laminated contents are differentiated according to which group is usually at that table, but in general...

tables squares
random number generator
digit cards
number lines
pot of counters
pot of dice
RUCSAC reminder

common errors card (back to back with...
HFW card
homophones cards from TPet
synonyms for 'said'

When I'm being organised (!) I try to get the lesson resources in there too in a plastic wallet or little bag, to save giving out.

At the end of the lesson they put their books in there, which means I can easily grab them for marking.

[Kayakinggirl86]

Miaow- do I have your old classroom. When sorting my new classroom last summer found over 200 glue sticks!

I have a box of equipment in the centre of each group (6 kids in a group). The boxes are coloured (pink, green, blue, red, dark green and purple). And the stuff in them is the same colour as the box meaning it is easy to spot when mixed up.
In each box I have 3 pens, 4 pencils, I long ruler, one short ruler, 2 sharpeners, 4 glue sticks, 7 sets of sissors, a pack of colouring pencils (these may get removed due to number going missing). on the outside of the boxes I have the group name, level mountain, key words, and sentence starters.

I did have all these on the work top at the back of the room but sick of kids wandering around the room.

[Dysgu]

I am thinking I am either going to have to visit the £1 shop or have a rummage through the DDs' stuff and see what I can find. I cannot find any colouring pencils, glue sticks, pencils or anything other than a ziplock bag of 30cm rulers in the cupboards! I don't know what has been happening since September (or what happened to all the stuff I left behind on the desks when I left for ML in February).

I rather like the idea of just having spare equipment at the side of the room but I think I have a number of children in my classes who would love the excuse to wander around the room! On the day I went in to meet the class, there were children getting up to sharpen pencils when long-term supply teacher was talking to class and also walking out of class to go to cloakroom (to get stuff from bags?) without asking...

I am quite looking forward to starting back and should have everything sorted quickly; probably a bit of consistency will go a long way but having to sort things I didn't think I would need to sort is a bit of a nuisance!

(Dreaming of finding a big stash of hidden glue sticks when I go in tomorrow!)

[Dysgu]

Thank you for the empathy Miaow! I found one half used glue stick today when I went in so things are looking up! (Then I went to the pound shop and bought some cheap ones to keep us going until I can get an order authorised!

I also have an electric pencil sharpener which, amazingly, is still on my desk. Have not checked to see if it still works though!

I like the idea of Ikea trays - we will be on the mainland later this month so perhaps I can justify a visit!

So far, in the 2 days I have been in over the holiday, I have filled 5-6 bin bags of paper rubbish as I have been emptying all the clutter out of the room. We are also starting with new books across the whole curriculum for the whole year group as the books from last term were in such a poor state - very little marking, poor presentation and scribbling on covers!

Today I rebacked all of my boards and moved the classroom furniture around. It already looks so much brighter - tomorrow I will put up some displays to get us going next week.

What are people's thoughts on living plants in the classroom? My parallel teacher has them on each table block and they look great - plants is our main topic (Blooming Marvellous!) so fits in but I really don't have an affinity for plants...

[dramajustfollowsme]

How about getting the kids to plant something that can grow whilst you do the topic and have a fully grown plant somewhere else for examining.
I have a jobs list on the wall and 2 kids each week take care of our plant. The pair of children changes each week and each pair has a job for each week. Since you are starting basically afresh, you could push that keeping the classroom and belongings is everyone's responsibility. Get them to come up with ideas for a jobs board. They might take better care of things if they have some responsibility.
Good luck!

[Dysgu]

We have plans to plant all the planters (!! sentence structure!!) in the playground as part of our topic so we will be watching whatever we plant as it (hopefully) grows.

I think I will just choose one nice big(gish) plant to add to our prayer corner (CE school) and start with that.

I think I will create a jobs display ready to get them thinking about what jobs would be useful to have in the class. I am very limited for display space (and space in general really) so I might get them to create something on the cupboard doors.

Thank you for all input - I am sure my brain will kick back into teaching gear once I get in front of the class on Monday although today I decided to turn my desk so I would have my back to the class if I was to sit at it! I don't spend much time at my desk anyway but I wanted a dramatic change from the previous supply teacher who was very much chalk-and-talk...