Classroom Seating Arrangements: Do you know that classroom seating arrangements play a very crucial role in shaping the learning environment? If not, then this is the article you need to know as a teacher of elementary, and high school.
Classroom seating will always shape the dynamics of student interactions with the teachers and the activity in class. It also influences students on their behavior, motivation, learning, relationships within the classroom, and many other things.
Making arrangements for seating for your class may enhance or hinder it. Most of the researchers say that the arrangement of desks has a huge impact on students from communication between students to good academic careers.
However, before you start assigning seats in your class as a class teacher, just check out our Seating Arrangement in Classroom article, to get a small idea, of how to arrange desks or tables that are good for students.
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After the completion of the holidays, as a teacher when you are going to school, are you thinking of changing the classroom seating arrangements of your students?
Then check out our Classroom seating arrangement ideas that will help you.
- Traditional Or Rows
- Semi Circle or Horseshoe or U Shape
- Double U shape or Double Horseshoe
- Groups or Pods or Pairs
- Corner Work
- Stadium Seating or Herring Bone
- Conference Small/ Large Classroom
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Traditional Or Row Seating
Traditional or Row seating comes from old times and it is fixed seating mainly used for higher education as they want to listen to the class by sitting in the front.
Sitting in a row will be comfortable if there is most use of blackboard. But here the disadvantage is teacher can’t come and interact with the students who are sitting in the middle as they can only interact and communicate with the front rows.
And if you have a large group of students this seating arrangement will best work for you.
Semi Circle or Horseshoe or U Shaped Seating
One more seating arrangement that looks like the disadvantages of Traditional seating is made into an advantage by this Semi Circle or Horshoe seating.
In this U-shaped seating arrangement, the teacher can look at all the children and interact with all the students one-on-one but it is only possible for a small number of students in medium or large classrooms.
However, this seating arrangement is not good for the students who want to work in a group as it is impossible for group work.
Double U shape or Double Horseshoe Seating
This Double U shape or Double Horseshoe involves inner and outer seating. When you are students are more classroom is small, this arrangement will be perfect.
With this system, students can interact and communicate with some other nearest students in the class. But there are some disadvantages as well like the teacher cannot communicate with all the students.
But if you are planning a presentation for your students then this arrangement will work perfectly.
Groups or Pods or Pairs Seating
One of more most used seating arrangements in classrooms is groups or pods or pairs. And you can design this arrangement either in circular, rectangular, or trapezoidal tables.
This type of seating arrangement will work best for group studies and collaboration. It is easy to combine studies and easy for individual study and whenever you can easily divide the classroom into three rows.
Corner Work Seating
In your class, if you are going to conduct a quiz and looking for a seating arrangement for that then this corner work will work best for you. Not only for quizzes it also works well for crossword riddles, videos & questions.
Even you can make this seating arrangement for the group study like slow learners are on one side and fast learners are on one side.
Stadium Seating or Herring Bone Seating
Seating arrangements are always needed in the classroom so that students will have a different look and get interested in studying more. One type of seating arrangement that is very interesting is stadium seating or herringbone seating arrangement.
This will be very similar to row and also this is another version of rows we can say. If you want to use blackboard and get bored of it then you can use this arrangement.
It also needs less space, for small classrooms it will work best. Even students can work in a group.
Conference Small & Large Classroom Seating
If you are weathered for a small group or large group of students, one more interesting and best classroom seating is conference small & large classroom seating.
By using these types of seating students will get the same amount of voice from the teacher for the whole class. But in case you are using small students will sit in a row-type structure or if it is a large classroom students sit in a square.
Tips To Keep In Mind While Making Seating Arrangements
For every school teacher, there is a special type of teaching method, and for that special seating arrangement also works well. But while making some seating arrangements it is always better to keep in mind some tips which will help you.
Below are some such type of tips to follow.
- Making desk and seating arrangements can be made very often and it is up to you based on your classroom. But keep in mind that arranging in different ways is important.
- Move the desks as far as possible also try to use folder dividers. So that there will be no chance to talk with others.
- When you make seating arrangements ask students to choose their seat.
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Benefits of Flexible Seating Arrangements
Classroom Seating arrangements have a lot of benefits. Also, these seating arrangements will play a very crucial role in students’ lives to succeed. Look at some of the key benefits that were given to you.
- Different Types of classroom arrangements can be useful for different activities. For example, Pods will be useful for group work.
- Even for students with sensory needs, this flexible seating arrangement will be good.
- The right seating arrangement for the specific type of class will help with student-teacher interaction.
- Also, arrangement in the classroom for seating helps students to engage themselves also work efficiently.
Conclusion
From elementary to high school every class is different. Also, there are different kinds of students in every class. For the best study environment, make sure to change the classroom seating arrangement very often.
Share it with other teachers if you get inspired and let us know your favorite seating arrangement through our comment section. And never get afraid to change your classroom seating.
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