Seminar Style: students sit in circular or u-shaped formation in groups of ten or more. Notice how the teacher comments on the students work, provides feedback, and then puts a dot on the students chart. You never know which students will work together best, or which students will be more successful in which spots in the classroom. There are four principles a teacher can use when deciding on how to set up a classroom. Make sure no one is squinting, moving out of the chairs, or turning their necks to see a presentation. Notice how the teacher prompts possible solutions with a focus toward the students doing their number one job.. Thats our classroom procedure. Authored by: Alison Mellott. So do we save the group activities for the younger students and keep the older students working alone? My response, I would invite colleagues into my classroom. I think people underestimate their classroom and that environment before the students even arrive. Also, can you cater to every students learning needs? Additionally, they can prevent disruptive behaviors and the loss of instructional time . A child who has a hearing disability, for example, might be required to sit nearer the teacher to be able to hear whats being said, while a child who is easily distracted might need a spot out of the line of sight of the classroom door. The obvious con of this arrangement is that students may not like to be sitting in a different configuration from their peers. When arranging your first or second grade classroom, one of the first things to set up are spaces to support math and ELA centers. A tool used at the end of a lesson or class period as a brief formative assessment of student understanding of a topic or skill introduced in class; sometimes referred to as an exit card. An interior loop allows you to work the crowd with the fewest steps. What would you do if students were not responding correctly? The more intentionally a classroom is arranged, the more likely it is to On the other hand you walk into a high school setting and you see all the desks set up in rows. Four months after a deadly mass shooting at Michigan State University, crews are installing new door locks on all of the university's classroom doors as part of a broad effort to boost security. Take your class on an educational adventure over multiple lessons. While it may cause some distraction, this arrangement typically causes less distraction than a face-to-face style and is an effective style for group work. Explore resources by theme, topic, strategies, or events. Again, a con to this set-up would be you will have some students not facing the whiteboard and others that are facing the whiteboard, however, may have other students heads in the way of their viewing of the whiteboard. Flexible seating is not a new concept. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This layout is one that I often used in my classrooms. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Notice how she prompts the students to find the solution. is not a new concept. However you decide to arrange your class, make sure it benefits not only you but your students! Create additional space for movement (e.g., wider aisles) as well as special equipment storage for students who may use wheelchairs or walkers. They may be seated at large tables, or they may have shoved their desks together. What did you like about how the teacher explained the objectives of the handout? R305A130375 awarded to Principal Investigator Dr. Wendy M. Reinke. Everything else will fall into place more easily if designated center spots are made first! Not only is the arrangement of the desk important to the classroom but the motivation the classroom has to offer the students. Double-U Horseshoe Variation. If a child is able to feel at home in the reading nook this can cut down on behavior problems for the teacher. Notice how the teacher moves around the room between the desks, commenting on the work she sees as she goes. 10% off with code SUMMERSALE | Learn More. A slight deviation to the desks in rows, stadium-like seating is another option that may work, particularly for older kids. At the elementary level, routines typically incorporate the entire school day and could include: Instructional method that involves students practicing previously modeled or taught skills with feedback and support from the teacher. Creating a structured classroom environment can promote student engagement as well as limit factors that might lead to disruptive behaviors. The teacher also needs to make sure their classroom has a positive environment for the students as they enter the classroom. Notice how she describes what the students will be required to do on the handout. Print Rich Environment The teacher should stand in every part of the classroom to ensure she can see every student from any location in the classroom. SMARTdesks is a registered trademark of CBT Supply, Inc. Power troughs integrated directly into tables and desks, Exchange Active Learning Classroom Technology Furniture. This desk arrangement concept was another one of my favorite layouts for the classroom. What activities or times of the day would it be useful to provide your students with a precorrection so that students know what to do before problems occur? Plus, while students are at their centers they will need to be able to concentrate on their work. Either way, theres always a LOT to think about. How important is relationship building to you when working with your students? Notice how the teacher checks in with each student as they do independent work. When the desks are in rows, it is often easier for the teacher to see who is on task as well. Do I reinforce the expectations for movement in the classroom? This layout was also beneficial for me, as the teacher, as I could easily go around and check work and check in on individual students. Our cutting-edge products are crafted from top of the line materials. Decrease obstruction in high traffic parts of the classroom: Some of these high traffic areas may include group areas, bookshelves, pencil sharpeners, cubbies, closets, computer workstations, and the teachers desk. What did you like about how this teacher used coaching to help the students solve the problem? Are you planning out classroom seating arrangements to head back to school? What do you like about this way of having students answer? It can also be highly ineffective if you prefer less distraction and disruption in the classroom. Place frequently used supplies (e.g., pencil sharpener, notebook paper, trash bin) and instructional materials (e.g., calculators, lab equipment, textbooks) in easy-to-reach locations. Notice that the teacher allows the students to ask questions before the game begins. Why do you think the students were so engaged? WebClass arrangement refers to a layout of the physical setup of chairs, tables, materials in a school classroom. Just as they should be aware of how culture and climate influence behavior, its important for teachers to consider the structure of their classrooms, including both physical structure (classroom arrangement) and the classrooms day-to-day routines. Consistency is key! These include increased student attention, friendlier peer interactions, and less disruptive behavior and aggression. We break down a few classroom layouts for effective learning and collaboration below. Post materials that support student learning (e.g., rules, routines, word walls, math equations, exceptional student work) on walls that are easy for students to view from all parts of the classroom. Integrating STEM education into elementary classrooms is essential in order to build critical thinking skills in young students. Weve put together some seating arrangements to consider in your classroom from pods to the increasingly popular flexible seating along with how they might work (or not) for you. How might you use the Good Behavior Game in your classroom? Introduction Classroom management is intended to provide students with more opportunities to learn all of the things that a teacher does to organize students, space, time, and materials so that students learning can take place. Use simple apps that help you do all kinds of useful things. Wow! Place frequently used materials in areas that are easily congested. This might mean clusters for group work, rows for independent work, and U-shapes for discussion. How might you use this type of opportunity to respond in your classroom? When are they allowed to be up? This layout wont suit a classroom that does involve a lot of group work/collaboration, and it can often turn the teacher into a lecturer. Listen as KaMalcris Cottrell and Ashley Lloyd offer examples of how they create a structured classroom environment. DURHAM School might be out for the summer for most Duke student-athletes, but the learning hasn't stopped as several Blue Devils have or will extend their education What did you like about how the teacher included so many students and asked so many academic questions? You need to understand what you hope to accomplish within a given classroom. Theyll say, Ms. Place bookcases, file cabinets, or other pieces of furniture in areas that may block students view or create visual obstructions for the teacher. Notice how she makes sure all the students understand the activity before leaving to help other students. What might work in one class though may not work in another class. How could you use a similar attention signal to help with transitions or giving instruction to your students? It will be up to the instructor to decide which Web1. I would also, once the students are in, be open to their feedback. Children will soon be prevented from bringing mobile phones into Dutch classrooms. Receive the Teach Starter newsletter full of tips, news and resources with your Other collaboration furniture designs includeiGroup Active Learning Tables, a line that takes things back to basics and emphasizes human interaction and cooperation. Some kids will have to shift to see the whiteboard, If you need to social distance students, pods just dont work. Remember to always look at details as well as the big picture when setting up your classroom. Join now to unlock access to special offers, inspiring classroom content and activities, project funding, giveaways, paid surveys, and more! The reading nook will also be a place for students to go to when they have completed their work and want to read a book in a cozy are. Obviously, there are a number of factors that will influence the seating arrangement that will work in your classroom. By: PEAK Learning Systems. 8 Classroom Seating Arrangement Ideas from Expert Teachers, Inspiration for Classroom Seating Arrangements. Research shows that many aspects of your classroom environment can affect student motivation and that students who are more motivated, put more effort into learning activities ( Ambrose, 2010). Throughout the day, if there is group work, if there is independent work of any kind, I tend to use slides, and all their directions for that activity will be up. The modern and flexible open space classroom represents a change from traditional chair desk combos. All students in this desk layout will face the board, and it lends itself to easily moving the desks to cater to test conditions if required. While this is a good classroom seating arrangement for talkative students when you want them to pay attention and be quiet, it can limit peer interaction. Sticking with Beowulf a moment longer here, consider an excerpt from three different recent In a combination classroom arrangement, teachers can use the best parts of two or more classroom designs. During center time students will be able to move around the whole room to gain information. The Good Behavior Game helps teach student self-regulation by having them inhibit or not display misbehavior. Studies have shown that where a child sits in class can affect everything from their motivation to their class participation, as well as their relationship with you as a teacher, relationships with classmates, and of course learning. Banner image via Shutterstock/NickBerryPhotography. In both elementary and secondary classrooms, routines are critical to the creation of a classroom environment that maximizes instruction and minimizes disruptive behaviors. How do you think it made that student feel? After all, collaboration plays a substantial role in modern learning environments. Its worth noting this doesnt just apply to school classrooms. Organizing Manipulatives. This teacher provides an opportunity to respond by letting all students answer the question and show her on their chest. This is because in order to manage a classroom with proper discipline, a product and active classroom set-up is important. STEM learning goes beyond traditional math and science learning to provide a multidimensional, curiosity-focused approach to student One way to enable collaboration (which we touched on above) is to arrange existing tables and desks in more group-oriented layouts. We go over the schedule. This is the fifth installment in our series about school in a perfect world. This area will provide a home feeling and help the students to feel relax when they are in this area. Having positive, respectful teacher-student relationships is the foundation to effective classroom management. The ideal classroom setup allows a fluid traffic pattern in which you and your students can move about the classroom without bumping into one another or other objects and without distracting others at work. I remember one teacher I observed actually had eighth grade students (pre-teens mind you) sit at tables in groups of 4. Notice that the teacher provides the reward immediately at the end of the game. This list has something for every teacher and every classroom we hope! Classroom climate is a term used to give attention to a constellation of factors including teacher-student interactions, teacher tone, student-student interactions, the overall level of respect for one another, and classroom orderliness. Below are a few dos and donts for setting up classroom routines. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. This layout also uses less floor space and, as we know, some classrooms are very, very small. Obviously, there are a number of factors that will influence the seating arrangement that will work in your classroom. While many teachers opt for the traditional seating arrangements in a classroom, there are still many who are unique. Classroom Management Strategies for an Organized Classroom, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for Successful Classrooms, Effective Classroom Management for the 21st Century, Focuses on the front of the room, which naturally directs students attention in a single direction toward the teacher, Creates space for teachers to walk between the rows and columns with easy and fluid access to all students, Makes it harder for students to cheat on tests by creating distance between students evenly across the classroom, Makes student collaboration more difficult due to the back-to-front design and desks being spread evenly apart, Enables the teacher to see what every student is doing because the rows are angled against a fixed point at the front of the classroom, Gives all students a clear view of the teacher, Uses less floor space by condensing the amount of total space needed between desks, Allows students to work collaboratively with neighbors and those in the immediate row, May place some students too far away from the front of the room (depending on how many rows are used or how wide each row is), Tougher to enforce classroom management after two rows, Less suitable for classrooms that often require group working stations due to the rows unique shape and condensed seating, Great for discussions because students can easily see and engage with each other around the perimeter of the seating design, Directs focus to a central point all students can see and places all students equidistant from the central focus, Allows the teacher to easily see all students, Uses more space than other designs and may not be possible in smaller classrooms, Hinders small-group discussions because students may often require the full scope of the classroom to communicate across the seating design, Easier for students to cheat during assignments because their visible range is increased, and multiple angles of view make it hard to properly police roaming eyes, Allows for collaboration between students within their group, Allows teachers to interact with students on an individual or small-group basis, Easy to set up and reconfigure for different situations as needed, such as a jigsaw activity, Requires a healthy classroom community so the students are all paying attention to the lesson and their tasks; may not be ideal for students who have difficulty remaining focused, Easier for students to cheat during assignments due to the close proximity of their group neighbors, Allows for a flexible design that can facilitate a workshop exercise or have students move from one station to another, Makes use of whatever desks are available by not requiring specific sizes or dimensions to create a functional classroom design, Doesnt allow for uniformity across the class, Doesnt give every student the same view of the teacher or the same size or shape of workspace. There should be no blockage or blind spots between the teachers desk and the students desks, workstations, computer stations, cubbies, etc. Project Officer, Sarah Allen. Now that you have created a new physical classroom structure using the tool, set a few goals to help you determine whether or not the structure produces the results you want. In secondary classrooms, routines can be content-specific (e.g., journal writing in ELA, conjugation practice in Spanish) and are generally established within each unique class period. Classroom routines will differ according to the grade levels of students. She asks 14 OTRs in just over one minute. Inside: Gather an assortment of preschool classroom ideas while touring six different environments! Arrangements can vary depending on the activity, and different areas of the classroom can be used for different purposes. You might opt fordesks and tableswith integrated computers or tablets. School Behavior Support, /wp-content/uploads/module_media/beh1_media/audio/beh1_p06_cottrell.mp3, /wp-content/uploads/module_media/beh1_media/audio/beh1_p06_lloyd_b.mp3. Thanks for the great idea, we will certainly aim to include different desk shapes in future posts. It must be time to go to lunch. You know, youre right. Picking the right (or wrong) furniture makes or breaks the overall design. For example, a goal for day one should not be,Students can find and access all instructional materials,but perhaps that could be your goal for week 2. 2023-present CBT Supply, Inc. dba Smartdesks. Tables set for 4-6 students. Triangular desks are certainly tricky, we've been there! The rest of the time the teacher will be in the same area as the students. Plus, the teacher will only use the desk for paper work. Find out how teachers use them in the classroom to engage students' critical thinking skills. WebPage 6: Create a Structured Classroom. Grouping of student desks in a variety of numbered groups is often known as seating students in pods. When the chart is full, the student knows they will earn a reward. "One of the themes that emerged was this idea of a cafe classroom," he said. Arrange the room to best support whatever activity is at hand. The main struggle WebWith an effective classroom arrangement, teachers can facilitate different instructional activities and support the varying needs of the students . How might you incorporate some of what you saw and liked about how she explained the lesson in your classroom? Notice how she calmly discusses how the boy in the video could think about sharing in the future. Or maybe the next day when they come in, the classroom is adjusted a little bit more, so its more conducive for a proper learning environment. All rights reserved. What about flexible seating? Lets take a look at the pros and cons of some This desk configuration creates two smaller carpet areas in the middle of the desks, which would provide some space for small group work as well. Tables in a horseshoe or three sided square shape. Use the same room arrangement no matter what the activity (e.g., seats arranged in clusters during discussions and tests). This layout also allows for a little flexibility in that if you have particular students that really need to face the whiteboard you can make sure they are facing the front of the classroom. This setup, of course, lends itself really well to a classroom that does a lot of group work and collaboration. * For refund and privacy policy information visit our Help & Support page. Chaz Stevens. According to Lloyd, these arrangements facilitate more varied forms of learning but are also more practical. Check-Up Menu > Physical Classroom Structure. I would often position my chair in the middle of one of the U shapes to have small discussions with each group when needed. Desks or tables should be arranged in a format to facilitate student collaboration, like: Arranging tables in square clusters so that every student within a cluster of tables is able to see and hear each other. Read previous entries on calendars, content, homework, and teachers.
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