When Pamela Kennedy took over Room 17 at Meriwether Lewis Elementary School in Portland, Ore., "it was an unmitigated disaster." The 3rd grade classroom was so cluttered that "you had to sidle to get between table groups."

Kennedy wanted her young students "to be able to move at their own pace," not get distracted or physically inhibited by a disorganized classroom. So she got to work removing the excess, clearing bins from shelves, pulling down posters that blocked the windows' natural light, and whittling seven large file cabinets down to one. Backpacks and coats were moved to racks in the hallway and even the trays beneath the desks were banished.

Continue to read this article from ASCD's Education Update here.