Do you need a teacher desk? How can you tell if you do, or if it’s just a place where you collect stuff? Here are some tips to help you decide:
First, ask yourself: “Do I want a teacher desk?”
1. Is my desk a place where I rarely sit but use it for stacking lots of papers?
2. Do I find myself sitting at a clean table to do work after school instead of at my desk?
3. Is my desk taking up lots of space in my room?
If you answered YES to these questions, you might want to get rid of your teacher desk.
4. Does my school require that a teacher desk remain in my classroom?
5. Do I like my teacher desk and keep it organized?
6. Is my desk a lovely space I can call my own?
If you answered YES to questions 4-6, keep your teacher desk.
Here are some ideas for planning for your teacher space:
- Place your teacher desk area away from the entrance and your flow of traffic.
- Don’t use the best corner in the room for your teacher space. Share with your students. (It often makes a great library area!)
- Plan for your teacher desk area to be near cabinets or shelves for storing your stuff.
- Put a calendar and display board by your teacher area (for posting notes and reminders).
- Provide a space for everything important that will need to be handled here.
This desk has become a clutter magnet
A traditional teacher desk doesn't have to take up lots of space
The front of this third-grade teacher's desk is turned into a poetry work station with the help of magnetic words from a kit.
Two students use a corner of the teacher's desk as a writing station.
You can find more tips in my book Spaces & Places: Designing Classrooms for Literacy.
After reading Spaces and Places not only did I get rid of my desk (that I nevr used, because of the junk thrown on top of it), but I encouraged several more at my school to get rid of their desks. The only problem was the school trying to store them all!
I love having that space available in my room!!
I know that question is thrown around alot but truly, I don’t want to ever give mine up. It’s my refuge without walls.
I used “Spaces & Places” to deconstruct my old room and set up my new room this past year. It was the best advice I’ve had in my 10 years as a teacher! My room has never been this organized, and I’ve gotten many compliments on it… thanks! I easily find everything I need, and my kids know where materials are, as well as where/how to put things back on their own, since I labeled drawers, baskets, and spaces in the room. I wouldn’t trade my own desk for anything, as now that I’ve learned how to keep it organized, it’s my personal anchor in the room. I take your advice daily and spend the last few minutes before I leave organizing my desk for the next day… it literally has meant the difference between lost papers years ago and things I can find immediately now. Thank you!
My ‘desk’ is my small group table. It’s piled with my stacks of papers to grade, papers to distribute, projects, etc. I know where everything is on it and I have a very small room. I have to use it in this manner but it would be so nice to have a space totally dedicated to be a real desk just for me! I do always make room for several kids to work there with me, though.
I got rid of my teacher’s desk 3 years ago and I’ve never looked back! It was a horrible clutter magnet and I hated having to clean it off. I know some teachers do great with theirs, but for me, I was happy to have the space for my kiddos!
I got rid of my desk years ago, but, like Mary, my small group table becomes my default desk and place to pile stacks … meaning I sometimes can’t use it for small groups! I need organizational skills in a bad way! Debbie – attended your CCIRA afternoon session in Denver on Friday and loved it. Very inspiring and I can’t wait til I get my copy of Math Stations!
I got rid of my desk last year because I had both a computer station (which is required) and teacher desk. I found that the desk was just a magnet for everything that didn’t have a home. It opened up a lot of room in my small space.
Please don’t feel bad that you want to keep your desk. It is a very personal decision! I only suggest this if you find you don’t use it.
Thank you so very much for acknowledging that there are 2 kinds of teachers, those who love having a desk-me! and those that find they no longer want one! Far too often a consultant will tell us there is only one way to do things!! I loved my desk area, it was my refuge, but I am a neat freak, highly organized person, but still bought the book Spaces and Places! I can always use new ideas, and I found some! I am no longer in a classroom, but am an ESL consultant. I have a tiny desk space and we will be moving to no personal desks soon, just laptop docking stations. I will really miss my personal space:(
This will be my first year teaching and having my own desk…though, its not in the classroom, but in the staff room. I have no idea how to get myself organized..Im a neat freak and having no idea how to organize my desk is really starting to get to me … lol