In Mrs. Jones 3rd grade class the desks are arranged in groups of four that face each other.  There is a rug corner and a table on the other side.  The student work is on the bulletin board and the walls are covered with posters that tell birthdays, explains units of measurements, and other information.  Most of the work is done in groups or pairs so the students do not usually sit at their desks.  Students are encouraged to find their own place to do their work.  Because children at that age are becoming better problem solvers disputes about where the group is to sit in the room can usually be worked out with out the teacher’s assistance.  Their attention span is longer which means that they are able to stay on task better and the teacher can give them more freedom and responsibility.  Mrs. Jones has also showed the students how to care for their surroundings by having clean up crews.  Each week two people are assigned to be in the clean up crew and their job is to keep the room neat throughout the day.  The students love it and sweep at every opportunity the get.
     The classroom is a great place for students to understand how to be better consumers.  In my classroom I plan to do a great deal of recycling, reusing, and reducing.  By having recycling bins and random boxes students can use the “trash” generated and make something new, different, and useful.   These recycle bins can also be another resource for expression.  I hope to be a model for positive consumerism by using the recycled materials as much as possible too.
     I hope that in my classroom I can create a learning environment that encourages and allows creative thinking from the students.  I want to have a class that the students can easily have access to the materials needed.  I would like children to find creative way to problem solve by being resourceful and using what they have and not to be afraid to ask for help.  I plan to accomplish this by having a classroom that is filled with resources, computers, books, magazines, paint, crayons, anything and everything that students needs to express themselves in a positive manner.