I did it. After fourteen years of teaching I got rid of my teacher desk. Many of my colleagues did so years ago and I have looked at their rooms in amazement. I couldn't figure out how to do it myself. Where would all my stuff go? How would I stay organized?Then I read Debbie Diller's Spaces and Places. She generously never said, "Get rid of your teacher desk." Instead, numerous times throughout the book she gently suggests that the reader should consider why they have a teacher desk. The first few times it came up, I moved right past it. I figured I had already thought about this question many times thanks to my colleagues so I didn't need to do so.
Thankfully Debbie Diller is no fool and she hits this issue again and again throughout. I finally had to admit to myself that the purpose of my teacher desk was so I had a place to dump stuff. Basically just a horizontal surface to collect papers and other junk. Sigh.For several years I've had a trapezoid table for meeting with small groups. My chair stays there all the time now. My space is now beside my teacher cabinet and filing cabinet. I added this one small bookcase which now stores everything that used to be in or on my desk.
Right now I'm really happy with this. In two weeks, we'll see... My concern is that I'll dump junk on the floor back there. I may have to take weekly pictures to document for myself how well I do, or don't, stay organized and on top of things.
2 comments:
The one nice thing about my itty bitty room last year was that there was no room for dumping. I'm trying a standing desk this year (which is more of a podium), but I have tons of surface space upon which stuff may be left.
Good for you! I'm still having trouble letting go, mostly because I don't know where my laptop would go... I would like to eventually go that route, though.
Post a Comment