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31 Awesome Teachers Who Tried To Make Their Socially Distanced Classrooms Look Less Scary And Succeeded
The new school year is right around the corner for a large chunk of the world’s students. While some pupils are excited to be back in the classroom with all of their friends (I know that my sisters can’t wait for September!), parents and teachers are naturally a bit anxious about Covid-19.
Schools are officially enforcing brand new guidelines to reduce the chances of students catching the coronavirus, but teachers are coming up with their own great ideas to protect everyone’s health even further.
From creative social distancing measures to other innovative ways to reduce contact and the spread of germs, these playful methods prove that some teachers go above and beyond the call of duty. Our scholarly Bored Panda team has collected some of the best classroom ideas for the new school year, so scroll down and upvote your fave ones.
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#1
Clean Hands Will Be Ready To Go Whenever We Get Back Into The Classroom!
Lousha 5 years ago
It looks nice and it's a good idea. Kids will break it within an hour though.
Steve Cruz 5 years ago
Dad should patent this! I'm bothered when I go to stores that there's a pump, but no tissues or wipes with which to push the plunger.
Katrina B. 5 years ago
I just see that one kid holding his foot down on the bar and letting it run...
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#2
Social Distancing
neonn_pieee 5 years ago
The kids actually have discipline so they're more likely to keep those masks and wings on and it will work out but most Children of America are spoiled brats and are not disciplined so they most likely won't keep masks on which is why schools aren't happening.
#3
No Playing. Masks All Day. Six Feet Apart At All Times
"School seems like a frightening place, when you read about all the safety measures kids will have to adhere to this year.
Thankfully, there are educators, like Jennifer Birch Pierson, a Kindergarten teacher from Texas, who are making lemonade from some very sour lemons and making their classrooms as welcoming and comforting as possible for our littlest learners.
Check out how she set up her classroom desks to look like a bunch of trucks on the road. She even makes the required desk shields look like windshields.
Those students who enter her classroom may have a tough time, but clearly they are in the hands of a caring teacher, and that's something all parents can be grateful for.
Thank you to the teachers, who, like Ms. Pierson, are doing all they can and more to make our kids feel safe and happy."
Karen Lyon 5 years ago
This is at a private school, which covered the cost. Not that she's not a caring teacher -- she just is luckier than most, because 99% of us either wouldn't have the time or money to do this. And it doesn't make us any less caring.
Leigh C. 5 years ago
Looks fun for a bit but once boredom sets in the novelty is going to wear off quick.
Billie Templeton 5 years ago
You could always volunteer to help with your ideas. Schools always need volunteers.
Load More Replies...According to educational leader and classroom design specialist Robert Dillon, going back to school for the first time after summer is going to be stressful even if students and teachers think they’re fully prepared. Keep in mind that in some places, people have been learning and teaching via the internet since March!
Dillon points out that now more than ever it’s important to get rid of items that fill up space without “any purpose” so as to increase the amount of free space each person gets. After all, if your classroom is cluttered and stuffy, students are more likely to be squashed together instead of being able to socially distance effectively.
#4
"Book Boats"
EA 5 years ago
In the uk children under 11 (I think?) are not required to wear masks because of the low risk
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Curry on... 5 years ago
They don't look too happy. And what about growing, something kids do in their sleep.
Roni Ingram 5 years ago
Children in the UK don't have to wear masks. When school starts back in September, it's all about good hygiene, not distancing or masks.
#5
Beach-Themed Classroom With Dividers
Hans 5 years ago
I doub that such dividers will have much effect on small children, who will literally stick together their heads anyway. The theme is really welcoming nonetheless.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
This is a nice alternative, but still not 6 feet apart. And yes, not only will they stick their heads together, at this age, they will hug and kiss each other.
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Caroline Kimber 5 years ago
Include some cocktails, sand and sun and I'd happily go back to school!
#6
Corona Classroom
Billie Templeton 5 years ago
EVERY TEACHER'S DREAM: A CLASS WITH JUST 8 STUDENTS instead of dozens
Steve Cruz 5 years ago
I love so many of these ideas, which seem to work best when classrooms are NOT over crowded.
Mary Maney 5 years ago
Ugh. I am in 6th grade, and I would love to go back to school like this, but us poor kids are stuck in virtual for at least another year
He also stresses that this is the perfect time to promote more active learning. So giving students permission to stand or even moving classrooms outdoors can keep students moving (and learning!) better.
“Where we learn matters, and as we consider the launch of the new school year, take time to listen to students, notice their needs and incorporate that in which we can’t control into the design elements that we can control,” Dillon writes.
#7
Fun And Decorative Hats With Social Distancing Sticks
Ronnie Beaton 5 years ago
We need these hats to stop people from gossiping in the aisles at supermarkets.
#8
Wooden Stands For Each Of My Plexiglass Trifolds!!! They Just Slide In And Out To Make Them More Sturdy For My Firsties!
#9
Socially Distanced Classrooms
Kay Lee LoPresti 5 years ago
She has to teach virtually from her classroom, students will not be present for a while (socially distancing desks isn't necessary if no students are present). She is using stuffed animals as a "stand in" for her students. Cute idea!
JessG 5 years ago
It's a classroom on zoom. The students choose which desk they would sit at
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What do you think of all of these anti-Covid classroom measures, dear Pandas? Do you have any ideas on how to make classrooms safer while staying fun? Perhaps you’re a teacher or have kids who are going to be back at school soon? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
#10
While It Was A Bummer To Have To Separate My Students Out, I Still Enjoy This Space. I Want It To Be As Bright And Welcoming As Possible. I Want My Students To Be Excited To Enter
"Even with all that’s going on around us, I’m still excited about the beginning of a new school year like I have for the last 12 years."
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
In my kids 5th grade class a few years ago instead of chairs the kids sat on yoga balls. Every day of the school year.
Brandy Johnston 5 years ago
It actually helps your posture so it's better than sitting in a chair hunched over
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hot chocolate is life 5 years ago
i think i know this teacher...... same furniture and everything!!!
#11
Socially Distanced Classrooms
Roni Ingram 5 years ago
Young children need to play and move around. This picture just makes me sad
FireStone Beware 5 years ago
I'm sorry but You might as well attach a pole to the kids cuz "social distancing"? Not in their vocab. never has been, never will be
#12
Social Distanced Classroom
Sarah Cline 5 years ago
That's who they are worried about. There are so many reports about kids being ok and the worst is "them passing it on to teachers rather than each other". We had staffing issues due to this reasoning.
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Karen Marijanovich 5 years ago
This looks like a room for older elementary and they can wear masks or face shields. Younger kids will not last an hour with them.
#13
Two Florida Teachers Turned Their Students' Desks Into Little Jeeps To Make Social Distancing Less Scary
#14
This Space Feels Happy
This space feels happy. After measuring and cleaning and decorating and measuring and taping and hanging and organizing and...did I say measuring? This home-sweet-classroom feels happy and worth every bit of work put in this week. I hope my students feel happy when they walk in here in a few soon. I will be sharing more of the details but for now I’m so excited that the bulk of the work is done
Mikal Du Preez 5 years ago
This classroom is massive, when I was in school my classroom were at least half this size.
SirPatTheCat 5 years ago
It looks like there was a false wall/divider where that line in the middle is, so it's probably two classrooms they made into one to get all the socially distanced desks in
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#15
A Rainbow Of Yoga Mats That Will Be Used For Social Distancing In My Classroom!
#16
Make Them Their Own Supply Bags With Their Names On
Joshua Seaman 5 years ago
In the US, most schools aren't adequately funded, and teachers often end up buying supplies for students out of their own salary. It's pretty sad.
Chelseayaknow 5 years ago
This is true but every year my daughter has always had a list of supplies that is expected of her to have prepared for the first day of school for the year and they always send out news letters of item needed in the classes and parents ALWAYS donate what is needed and are happy to. I'm sure this is not the case everywhere but luckily in my experience, this is never an issue.
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Torchicachu 5 years ago
we got these in elementary school anyway before social distancing and limiting shared items
#17
Hang The Tissues In An Easy-To-Reach Place
#18
Tape Boundaries Around The Classroom
Sofia Ciccone 5 years ago
I would have loved having my own square in school that only I could go in
#19
Clean Things And Sanitize Them Without Grabbing The Bottle
Leigh C. 5 years ago
That is for surfaces not our bodies. I can see a lot of irritated skin caused by this method. There are hand sanitizing wipes specifically for skin.
Sabse 5 years ago
As it says the headline: "clean things" Nothing said about hands
Load More Replies... Lydia Dean-Melchior 5 years ago
It says on the bottle kills cold & ____(probably flu viruses). At least 99.9 % of viruses that lead to colds and flu.
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#20
Socially Distanced Classrooms
Karen Marijanovich 5 years ago
I only see 7 desks--Most of our classrooms have at least 20 kids.
#21
I Found These Lap Desks/Trays At Michaels A Couple Weeks Ago On Sale! With The Idea Of Spreading The Students Out As Much As Possible
Sooooo with no shared supplies this year (which isn’t my preference anyway)... I found these lap desks/trays at Michaels a couple weeks ago ON SALE! With the idea of spreading the students out as much as possible, I will have a few kiddos that will sit on the green chairs (2nd picture) with the lap desk at the carpet. The rest of my kiddos will be at a desk/table with the trays under their seats to hold all the things! (3rd & 4th pic) I actually used these last year and LOVED them!! AND none of them broke They are stackable paper trays from Amazon that I zip tied to the bottom of their chair. Here’s to a very weird classroom set up
Kimberley Thomas 5 years ago
My Mom bought me one of these when I was teenager. I still have mine decades later for I didn't know if they would stay in existence. Figured they would become a rarity.
#22
Storage Bins For Everyone's Desk
Louloubelle 5 years ago
These aren't even close to six feet apart. But, yay, they have crates.
FireStone Beware 5 years ago
the desks are required to be 3 ft apart due to the extra 1 and a half ft from the student to the tip of the desk. Just a foot and a half short. with the crates that could create more distanced space. so in conclusion about 6 ft would be between this kids ^u^
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#23
Use Book Covers To Cover The Seats In A Classroom
April McPeak 5 years ago
extra storage? some schools aren't allowing lockers or backpacks
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ISAAC HARVEY 5 years ago
I never understood why textbook covers could be stretched so much. Now, I know.
#24
Not Exactly What I Would Choose For My Students, But The Best I Can Give Them With Our Current Limitations
Not exactly what I would choose for my students, but the best I can give them with our current limitations.
Making kids sit at their desk all day goes against everything I believe about kids learning, so I knew I’d have to get creative this year.
I taped 4x5 boxes for each kid to call their own. It’s not a perfect plan, but it’ll give them space to sit, stand, or lay while also following guidelines!
I’ve also gotten the okay to assign pillows, carpet squares or stuffed animals to each kid to keep as their own for the school year!
I always knew my inability to get rid of pillow pets would come in handy some day
#25
One Socially Distanced Classroom Later . As Long As It Is Safe For Them On 1st June, It'll Be Okay. It Just Makes Me So Sad
#26
My Classroom Is Now Ready For Social Distancing
Bridget Price 5 years ago
I love that they didn't put students next to each other like some of the other ones did
Yehudit Hannah Cohn 3 years ago
I love that we can't see the whole room, or the students, and have no idea what the space limitations might be.
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Billie Templeton 5 years ago
Again, short of a plastic bubble for each child, ALL the ideas will have limitations and flaws. Teachers are doing the best they can to potect children, using their own budgeted money, limited floor space, active children and a public who sees nothing but the "flaws" in their efforts. You've got good ideas. I'll bet the local school would appreciate the help.
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#28
Socially Distanced Classrooms
#29
Socially Distanced Classrooms
Torchicachu 5 years ago
lol all of them being slanted made it hard for me to figure out each of them
#30
Individual Chair Pocket
MsKestrela 5 years ago
Today's desks don't have storage areas. Many schools used shared supplies, books,etc, but with the new guidelines, each child will need to have his own, so they need someplace to store them.
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#31
Use Shower Curtains For Classroom Dividers
Yehudit Hannah Cohn 3 years ago
You mean, besides showing them where the boundaries are, like many of the others that use tape?
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Add New Image
What do you think ?
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
100% guarantee they did unfortunately.
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Em Wal 5 years ago
It's incredible how negative a lot of people commenting on these photos are. It's not like the teachers want to be put in this position; they're doing the best they can (either with insufficient funds or purely paying out of pocket) to try and make this school year safe, fun, and as least traumatic for the kids as possible. Every school and every state has different safety "protocols" in place, so the teachers have to work around that too. There is no perfect solution as far too many parents have jobs no longer working from home, meaning that they literally can't keep the kids home for virtual learning. We should be celebrating what the teachers are doing to make the most out of a terrible situation instead of nitpicking everything.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
A lot of these pictures do show six feet of distance. But how are they handling all the students? I mean, when my kids were in elementary school there were always around 30 kids per classroom. What are they doing with the kids that don't fit?
Little Dino 5 years ago
I'm a high school freshman and at my school only about half of the kids are going back. The other half are doing virtual, like me. So, face-to-face has about 15 students per classroom and virtual has about 25. We also have daily temp. checks, masks are mandatory, assigned seats at lunch, etc. Hope this helps! :)
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Billie Templeton 5 years ago
So many negative opinions posted. Short of a plastic bubble for each child, ALL the ideas will have limitations and flaws. Teachers are doing the best they can to potect children, using their own budgeted money, limited floor space, active children and a public who sees nothing but the "flaws" in their efforts. You've got good ideas. I'll bet the local school would appreciate the help.
Allen Lavine 5 years ago
I think it's f up that the teachers have to come up with ways for this and you still have some people saying they need to shut up and teach
Kelzbelz79 4 years ago
A LOT of VERY annoying comments!! These teachers have done the very best they could with what they had, often outta their own pockets, the size of the spaces or fact that schools are reopening isn't their fault, a little appreciation wouldn't go amiss.
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
100% guarantee they did unfortunately.
Load More Replies... Em Wal 5 years ago
It's incredible how negative a lot of people commenting on these photos are. It's not like the teachers want to be put in this position; they're doing the best they can (either with insufficient funds or purely paying out of pocket) to try and make this school year safe, fun, and as least traumatic for the kids as possible. Every school and every state has different safety "protocols" in place, so the teachers have to work around that too. There is no perfect solution as far too many parents have jobs no longer working from home, meaning that they literally can't keep the kids home for virtual learning. We should be celebrating what the teachers are doing to make the most out of a terrible situation instead of nitpicking everything.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
A lot of these pictures do show six feet of distance. But how are they handling all the students? I mean, when my kids were in elementary school there were always around 30 kids per classroom. What are they doing with the kids that don't fit?
Little Dino 5 years ago
I'm a high school freshman and at my school only about half of the kids are going back. The other half are doing virtual, like me. So, face-to-face has about 15 students per classroom and virtual has about 25. We also have daily temp. checks, masks are mandatory, assigned seats at lunch, etc. Hope this helps! :)
Load More Replies... Billie Templeton 5 years ago
So many negative opinions posted. Short of a plastic bubble for each child, ALL the ideas will have limitations and flaws. Teachers are doing the best they can to potect children, using their own budgeted money, limited floor space, active children and a public who sees nothing but the "flaws" in their efforts. You've got good ideas. I'll bet the local school would appreciate the help.
Allen Lavine 5 years ago
I think it's f up that the teachers have to come up with ways for this and you still have some people saying they need to shut up and teach
Kelzbelz79 4 years ago
A LOT of VERY annoying comments!! These teachers have done the very best they could with what they had, often outta their own pockets, the size of the spaces or fact that schools are reopening isn't their fault, a little appreciation wouldn't go amiss.
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