Messy Desks = Creative Teachers

People often walk into my classroom and say "your desk is very cluttered!" But, this is actually how I work best.

Think about it. If your desk is messy, you’re more likely to be on the move. Moving around helps you think and walking around the room is a great classroom management tactic. I call this the "Butterfly Method," because when I am monitoring my learners while they work I try to float around the room, occasionally landing next to an individual to ask them a few questions before moving on. This method normally means I end up throwing pens and paper all over the place.

If you follow other teachers on Instagram or Pinterest you will probably end up with "desk shame" because it is commonly stereotyped that you need a perfectly organised classroom to be an effective teacher, being clutter free is all the rage. However, when you have a buzzing atmosphere in your classroom and your learners are working at a peppy pace, then ultimately you will have paper and workbooks flying around, like that scene in Harry Potter when the letters fly out of the chimney.

After all, Albert Einstein once quoted “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what then is an empty desk a sign of?” So.... if your desk looks like an atomic bomb has gone off, just think of good ole Einstein and how you must have an extremely active or creative brain!

I do have one rule however, at the end of the day we all tidy our spaces before we leave so that we are organised for the morning. Don't get me wrong, my desk is still cluttered, but in an organised fashion. All paperwork is stacked and I know exactly where everything is. Make sure your learners also know where the bin is, because lets face it, without instruction their half-eaten cheese sandwich is left to rot on the windowsill which leads to a lashing from the cleaner (and I teach adults!) Make them take responsibility for their own learning environment.

These days we are trying to move forward with digital submissions, meaning that my marking life becomes slightly easier and my desk is less scattered.

Do you have messy desk shame? Message me and tell me your story!