The environment that educators create for children reflects the image that they have about the children - Loris Malaguzzi September is around the corner and teachers are heading back to the classroom to unpack and organize for the first week of school. As a Reggio Inspired educator I have designed the classroom environment as a space for children to work and play through easy access to materials. This means that I curate the work and play materials in the classroom.  In our district the children come for short blocks of time over the first 5 school days. This transition helps them to become used to school, routines and expectations. Here are a few ideas which are research based and have worked for me for many years. Declutter A new school year is an excleent time to chose to declutter the classroom by removing materials that are ineffective or not being used by the children at this time. Remove any bins or tubs of teacheer materials.Try to keep the tops of shelves and windowsills clear...