From: Nicole Cusick
Email: nikkic@udel.edu
Course: EDUC 390: Instructional Strategies and Reflections
College: University of Delaware
Instructor: Eugene Ematusov
ClassWeb: http://ematusov.soe.udel.edu/EDUC390.99F
Date: 12/16/99
Time: 11:45:38 PM
Remote Name: 209.191.59.174
The goal of my paper is to discuss possible seating arrangements that could be implemented into various classrooms. This is an important topic to discuss because there are many different ways a teacher can arrange his or her classroom. The strategic placement of students in a classroom can effect the learning process for each, individual student. The most beneficial seating arrangement can be determined by the type of learning activities that the classroom teacher plans to focus on. The teacher needs to be sensitive to the learning objective of the lesson, as well as the interpersonal dynamic that exists among the students in the group.
The physical arrangement of your classroom is an important aspect to consider. This is one way to get control of your classroom. Seating arrangements promote some activities and communication and hinder others. There are many ways to set up your classroom. The six that I will look closely at are: desk rows, circle or semicircle, clusters, table rows, activity zones, and pairs. These are six seating arrangements that I am familiar with. I have been a student in some of these arrangements and I have also been the teacher. Because of my experiences, I feel I will be able to discuss the seating arrangements thoroughly. I will discuss the pros and cons of each of the seating arrangements in regard to teaching goals, educational philosophies, and the easiness and difficulty for different types of learning activities and classroom management. These are important aspects to look at because all of these things are incorporated in determining the proper seating arrangement for a classroom. The key is to be observant and perceptive, so to enhance the learning potential of each student.
Desk rows is a traditional classroom seating arrangement. The teacher stands in the front of the room and all the students’ desks face the teacher. Since all the students are facing forward and the teacher is in the front of the classroom, he or she is the primary source of knowledge.
This is a perfect situation for testing because each student has their own space. Desk rows minimizes the amount of non-productive talking amongst the children as well as assisting the students in focusing on the major concepts of the particular lesson since the desks are spread apart as much as possible. Whole group instruction, lectures, and independent seatwork are ideal when the desks are in rows. The use of a variety of media, for example, maps, computer projection, board-work, overhead projection are also most conducive to the desk row arrangement. Desk rows exhibit good teacher-controlled classroom management. Community-based classroom management is difficult to promote because the desks are in rows. Because the desks are in rows and the students are separated, the opportunity for inappropriate behavior is minimized.
On the other hand, maybe the inappropriate behavior is more easily observed in a classroom with the desks in rows. I guess you could say the teacher manages to keep the appearance of the classroom in order rather than the students at times. The main teaching goals of a teacher whose classroom is set up in rows is lecture and whole group instruction. With the desks being in rows, it is easy for the teacher to give lectures, whole group instruction, and tests because there is less opportunity for the students to be out of line. The objective of these activities is to have the students focus and concentrate on the key information of the lesson, with a minimal amount of distraction.
In the testing environment, the teacher is attempting to assess the progress of the class and each individual student as accurately as possible. By spacing the students in rows, each student has the opportunity to demonstrate his/her mastery of the curricular material. On the other hand, desk rows is not ideal for group work or group discussions. Group work and group discussions are an important part of the curriculum. It is difficult to do this when the desks are in rows. Since the desks are in rows, some students will be closer to the blackboard and the teacher than others. This is a major disadvantage for the students who are seated in the back rows. This type of classroom is more adult run than anything else. It is very controlled and organized by only the teacher. Desk rows promote a one-sided classroom environment. Again, with this type of seating arrangement, group work and group discussions are difficult to do.
However, the objective of group work is communication and peer interaction. The development of these communication skills is integral in the growth of the whole student. The ability to effectively work with others in a group is a life skill. It is much more conducive to communicate in a circle or semi-circle rather than in a traditional row seating arrangement. It is important to look into the face of your peer while you communicate with them, as opposed to looking at the back of your peer’s head. I think the transition from desk rows to an arrangement that allowed for more peer learning would be exciting for students. It would be a chance for them to discuss problems with their peers and get involved in group learning.
The next type of seating arrangement is a circle or semicircle. This is very different from desk rows. This arrangement allows the teacher to be able to see all the students in the classroom. Group discussions happen with the desks set up this way. Teacher led discussions are easily started when the desks are arranged in a circle or semicircle. All the students are able to see the blackboard and the teacher, as well as each other.
Teacher proximity is good because the teacher has easy access to all the students and vice versa. The circle or semicircle set up is good for high maintenance children because there is not much that the students can do that the teacher won’t see. The circle or semicircle seating arrangement makes it easy for all the students to be actively engaged in the group discussions, teacher led discussions, and even lectures. There is no front or back of the room. There is no priority seating so there is more equality and no real rank order among the peer hierarchy. This arrangement, on the other hand, is not ideal for testing since the students are directly next to one another. With the students sitting next to each other, it makes it easy to share work, when that is not the objective on an individual test of knowledge.
The goal of most test taking is to test a child independently, not in a group. The teacher could, however, create two or three tests evaluating the same material and still utilize this same classroom setup. Group work is a rather difficult activity to manage because the students are spread out around the entire room. This is the case for teacher-controlled classroom management because the teacher is the main source of information.
On the contrary, the circle arrangement would be ideal for community-based classroom management because the ownership for maintaining the learning environment is shared between the teacher and the students. Depending on the focus of the assignment, the circle arrangement may or may not allow the students to work easily with each other. For example, if the assignment was for the students to work with a partner, this arrangement would be perfect because they had someone directly next to them. If the assignment was a group project, where the students were supposed to discuss a ‘hot topic’, then a circle is not the best set up because the students would have to rearrange their desks in order to talk with each other.
The teaching goals for the circle or semicircle arrangement are group discussions and teacher led discussions. This classroom is children run because there is constant opportunity for the students to bring and contribute ideas to the discussion. The teacher doesn’t give too much guidance. However, the circle also works well with constructivist direct instruction. For example, in our class when Sean, a novice teacher from a local private school, came and made his presentation, the room was in the circle format. Everyone seemed comfortable with this and it was beneficial because Sean had clear vision of everyone as he gave his presentation. This informal setting contributes to the mood of the classroom. Oftentimes, when a student is providing information for a group, he/she is nervous. The circle-semicircle classroom arrangement can positively contribute to the presenters state of mind. Moreover, the classroom discussions are flexible. The teacher’s role in a children run classroom is to provide an enriched, stimulating environment. As the discussion of the classroom progresses, it is the teacher’s job to facilitate the learning. The teacher needs to be there to make sure the discussion is appropriate and the point is being clearly made. The teacher could initiate probing questions to the class to further develop the discussion. He or she is also there to answer any questions that the students may have.
Clusters is another option when arranging your classroom. I am referring to desks in groups of four or five. This type is very conducive for group learning and group work. The students have the opportunity to confer with each other when completing assignments. Working with others and getting along with different types of people is a life skill that needs to be developed.
Teamwork is essential to prepare our student for workplace readiness. Classroom group work can help this. The students can build on each other’s ideas and knowledge about a topic. Clusters become difficult when administering tests because the main point of testing children is to obtain an independent score for each child. There is a time for group work and thought, but not during test time. Tests are administered to indicate the amount of knowledge a single student has retained. It is also difficult when lecturing or with whole group instruction because of the talking that may occur because the desks are so close together. Talking during lecture time takes away from the focus of the classroom. It is disruptive and inappropriate to talk while others are talking. If the teacher decides to open the lecture to a group discussion, then it is fine for the students to talk.
Depending on the arrangement of the clusters, some students may have difficulty seeing the board or the teacher. The teaching goals in a classroom with the desks arranged in clusters is peer learning and group work. This type of classroom is collaborative because both the teacher and the students bring topics to the classroom to discuss. It is also exciting when a student brings information or a topic that he/she is passionate about and shares that knowledge. The teacher’s role is to share his or her knowledge with the students and to guide the students in the right direction. Teacher-based classroom management could be difficult since it is so easy for the students to talk with each other, but if the teacher is consistent with the rules of the classroom from the beginning, that could be eliminated.
Community-based classroom management is very appropriate for a classroom with the desks in clusters because it promotes group learning. The transition from clusters to a more traditional seating arrangement could be hard for students. After being in a classroom where the main objectives are group learning and group work, it will be difficult for children to then enter a classroom where lectures and independent seatwork are the focus. This transition is inevitable. At some point in a students career, they are going to encounter a teacher that only believes in independent, individual seatwork. It is important that students learn how to adjust to different types of seating arrangements. It is essential for our students to be adaptable and flexible in the learning environment.
Table rows is yet another classroom seating arrangement. Table rows is excellent for group projects because the students are grouped together and they have adequate working space. It is also good for small group discussions. Each table can have their own discussion about the ‘hot topic’ before bringing the whole group together.
I have seen table rows in many science classes. Table rows are very useful for science labs because the students have an area on the table to do the experiment and they can perform it as a group. This type of seating arrangement could also be used in an art classroom to do art projects again because of the space on the table.
On the other hand, table rows are not ideal for testing because the students may have a tendency to share answers when the objective of a test is to obtain each student’s individual mastery of a subject or concept. Independent seatwork may also be difficult to make the focus of your classroom with table rows again because it would be very easy for the students to confer with one another. A lot of talking may occur with table rows. Talking could be positive if there is a classroom discussion going on or a group project, but it would be negative if the students are supposed to be doing independent seatwork.
Another problem with this set up is the students’ view of the teacher and board. The students seated towards the back of the tables may not have as good a view as the students in the front. The teacher could help this type of situation by changing the seats frequently to give each student equal opportunity. The teaching goals in this type of classroom are mainly group projects and small and large group discussions. For example, I accompanied my first grade class to the art room and there were table rows in this classroom. There were eight children at each table. The teacher used whole group instruction to demonstrate the project and then the children were able to complete the project at their table helping one another. The teacher was able to visit each table and see how they were doing and offer help when needed. This type of classroom is collaborative. The teacher is there the help the students when needed and to share their knowledge with the students. The students are completing much of the work on their own after the initial instructions from the teacher. Table rows promotes community-based classroom management because of the constant group projects and discussions.
Teacher-based classroom management would be difficult to do in this type of classroom since the students do have the opportunity to talk with each other so easily. I feel the transition from table rows to a more traditional classroom may be hard for some students because the focus has been group work and projects. On the contrary, I feel students would make a beautiful transition from table rows to clusters or a classroom set up in a circle because they would be familiar with group work and discussions.
The next seating arrangement that I will discuss is activity zones. By this, I mean there would be a different station in the classroom for each subject. Therefore, there would be a station for social studies, math, science, reading, and so on. At each station, there would be an assignment for the students to complete. It would be the students choice if they worked together or independently.
The teacher would be placed in the middle of the room so he or she would have vision of every station. Activity zones are great because no matter what station the children are at, they are engaged in something. I realize that since the teacher is not attending to the stations too closely, the students have a chance to play around. In order to limit this, the students would have an assignment to hand in from every station at the end of the day. Group work and peer learning work very well in activity zones because the students are set on their own to complete assignments and are encouraged to assist each other. Activity zones would have to be used in classrooms where the students are older because there will be times when they are unmonitored.
From my experience working with children, I feel activity zones could begin with fourth grade students. I have had a great deal of experience working with fourth graders because my mother is, in fact, a fourth grade teacher. The students are mature enough to handle this type of classroom arrangement by this time. One major drawback of activity zones is that the students may not have their own individual desk to work at. You could set the classroom up so the students do have a desk, but the classroom would have to be big enough to do so.
Whole group instruction would be difficult to control since the students could possibly be without a desk. Lectures would have to take place with the students sitting at the activity zones. A classroom with activity zones will most likely be noisy since the children will be conferring with one another in the different zones. Testing would be a problem especially if the students didn’t have their own desks and they had to take the test at the zones. The students would be used to working together on all of the assignments. Therefore, in a classroom with activity zones, I would suggest doing group tests because the children really depended on each other during every assignment.
The main teaching goals in this type of classroom are group work and peer learning since the students are allowed and encouraged to work together at the zones. This classroom is children run . The teacher’s role is to provide an enriched, stimulating environment, which the teacher does in an activity zone situation. The teacher provides minimal guidance throughout the day. It is the students’ responsibility to complete their work and hand it in at the end of the day. Community-based classroom management would be most appropriate in a classroom with activity zones. The students are constantly helping each other complete their assignments. Therefore, there is a strong sense of sharing and peer learning incorporated in this type of classroom. I think the transition from this classroom to any other would be a significant one because the students would be used to little teacher control and more student learning. Students would learn to become very dependent on their classmates and independent of their teachers due to this set up.
The final seating arrangement that I will discuss is pairs. Pairs are good for peer learning because every student would have a partner to work with. All the students would be facing forward, which would be towards the board and the teacher. It would be easy for the teacher to lecture to the students because all the students could see him or her and they all have their own desk.
Small group work could be done in a classroom where the desks are in pairs. For example, two groups of pairs could easily push their desks together and form a bigger and therefore, more of a group discussion. One-on-one communication skills could be developed because of this type of classroom. Communication with others is a life skill that is vital for children to learn and be comfortable with because they will be required to use these skills for the rest of their lives.
Testing could be hard since the students have a partner directly next to them. Testing is to be done independently in order to see how much each student has retained on the current information. Too much talking may occur at the wrong time, such as during whole group instruction. Talking is great once the teacher opens the discussion to the entire class, but before this time, children need to pay attention to the teacher. There could be a problem if the two students who sit next to each other have an argument or a disagreement. This could cause the students to argue during class and become disruptive. In a situation such as a personal conflict, the teacher would have to make an adjustment in the seating arrangement.
A quick way to map out the social interactions between different students is by using a sociogram. This is a system where you make a note in the beginning of the school year of which children get along with each other the best so you know where to place the students. Social interactions is a good way to base where you place the students since they will be working directly with each other. The main teaching goals in this type of classroom are whole group discussion, small group work, and peer learning. This classroom is mainly adult-run. The work done in the classroom is organized by the teacher. The classroom is adult controlled even though the children can make contributions to the discussions.
Teacher-controlled classroom management is appropriate in a classroom where the desks are in pairs because the teacher has overall control of what goes on. The students are more than welcome to contribute to the discussions, however, the control is then focused back to the teacher. The transition from being in pairs to other classrooms wouldn’t be too difficult for students. It has a little bit of everything. There is group and peer learning, whole group instruction, and lecture given by the teacher. These are basic elements common in many types of classrooms. Students in a paired seating arrangement are well prepared to enter classrooms with other arrangements. They have been exposed to many situations.
The seating arrangement in my first grade practicum classroom was clusters. There were five or six desks at each cluster. The students were able to discuss with each other any questions they had while working. Group work was a big part of the day. On the other hand, my cooperating teacher also managed to do whole group instruction with this seating arrangement. It was a very effective classroom. The students were given an objective, and independently they were able to accomplish it. All the students had workbooks and the teacher lead the entire class and they all completed pages in this book together. I saw the students completing independent seatwork with the desks in clusters and it seemed to work out better than the desks being in rows because the students could confer with each other first before interrupting the teacher in the reading groups.
In my first grade classroom, there were different level reading groups that met each day. The children will stop their independent seatwork and meet with the teacher and their reading group each day. The teachers stressed that they did not want to be disrupted while working with a reading group. Therefore, the students asked each other any questions that they had. There were instances where some students constantly socially interacted with one another. Talking with one another is only negatively looked upon when done while someone else is speaking. Otherwise talking is acceptable and it can be helpful for students when completing their work.
My teacher handled the talking problem by moving the desks of the students who were being disruptive. For example, one day, a little boy in my classroom was constantly talking out of turn, getting out of his seat, and engaging others in inappropriate conversation. My teacher was able to clarify and communicate to those students what was expected of them. The teacher was very directive that the students could interact with one another if they stayed on task and assisted each other.
Administering tests was difficult with the desks in clusters. I think this was a problem because it was a first grade classroom. The students did look at each other’s papers sometimes. My teacher constantly reminded them to keep their eyes on their own paper and in extreme cases, she moved students to other areas in the classroom. This is a definite drawback of the desks being arranged in clusters. As mentioned previously, a second or third set of tests could be developed that could prevent this from happening. The students were further prompted by the teacher in regard to the “honor” system, where there are times when working on test related materials it was appropriate for the student to demonstrate what they had learned from the previous lessons. The teacher also explained that there were times when working cooperatively with peers was most appropriate. It is part of the learning process to differentiate when each type of behavior is most beneficial.
It did tend to get a little noisy at times in the classroom, but my teacher exhibited great classroom management and patience. Some of the students were on point cards, which was one way to regulate the noise and behavior of certain students. Another method my teacher used was to write the students’ name on the blackboard who were acting out. The first time was a warning, but every time a check was marked next to the name, time was taken off that child’s recess. This worked beautifully. All the rules were established at the beginning of the year, therefore, every student was well aware of the consequences of their actions. It usually only took a name on the board and one check until the student calmed down. Overall, clusters seemed to work very well in this particular classroom. My teacher managed to not only use this arrangement to do group work and group learning, but also to do whole group instruction and independent seatwork. Although there are drawbacks to this seating arrangement, the benefits are too powerful and out weigh the drawbacks.
Overall, there are various kinds of seating arrangements that could be implemented into classrooms. Each has different benefits and drawbacks so the seating arrangement that is chosen depends on the main goals that the teacher wants to focus on. The arrangement of your classroom is a very important aspect to consider as a teacher. Different seating arrangements allow for different types of learning activities and classroom management. You as a teacher, have to pick the seating arrangement that will best suit your specific class. The classroom seating arrangement could make all the difference in the world.
References
The photos were done by Alexandra Ramsden.
