At the beginning of the school year, teachers have to make SO MANY decisions when it comes to their classroom and one of them is about work spaces. Often, people just do what they have always done. For me, one benefit of changing schools every year for my past 7 teaching years (yes all 7!) is that I am forced to adapt, change and be creative in each new space.
Some teachers LOVE desks and would never part with them, especially in middle school. Coming from primary though – I love tables and often make friends with the custodians as soon as possible to try to make the switch.
I’ve worked with both tables and desks, and there are definite pros and cons to each. If you’re thinking about switching, or interested in learning more – this post is for you! Keeping in mind that I am fully in love with tables – here is a list of the pros and cons that I have for each:
Obviously, the lists for both sides are long. I find that the pros of tables far outweigh the cons. I also keep some extra desks/work spaces in my room for independent needs. I have experimented with bins/alternative spaces for storage of belongings. This leads to varying degrees of success. I haven’t decided if I will have these or not this year.
Ultimately, teachers need to decide what works best for their professional practice, teaching style and their students. That may be desks, tables or somewhere in between.
Image curtesy of Home Design Planner
