Classroom Management: The Ideal Classroom Arrangement

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Classroom Management The Ideal Classroom
Arrangement

• Stacie Meyers

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Philosophy of Education

• I want students to feel comfortable sharing
  their ideas and input because I value them as
  important, but I also want to maintain structure
  and order in the classroom environment. By
  thinking how to arrange students physically in
  the classroom, I am able to have those
  interpersonal relationships with my students,
  while maintaining their behavior.

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Standard Classroom Arrangements

• Most classroom seating charts are arranged in
  rows.
• Problems
• Students tend to get lost in the back rows,
• Teachers cannot always see every student,
• It is difficult for teachers to walk up and down
  rows because of limited space.

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Ideal Classroom Arrangement

• Maximum ease of movement for students and
  teacher.
• Ability for students to work independently or
  collaboratively with ease.
• Flexibility to vary activities from day to day or
  from lesson to lesson with minimal disruption.

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Ideal Arrangement Semi-circle or Horseshoe
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Classroom Arrangement Semi-circle or Horseshoe

• Allows the teacher to see all students in
• the classroom.
• All students are able to see the blackboard and
  the teacher, as well as each other. 
• Teacher proximity is also good because the
  teacher has easy access to all students and vice
  versa.

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Horseshoe Benefits

• Students can arrange themselves easily into
• small groups by turning desks toward each other.
  
• Teachers can monitor behavior problems easily.
• Students also feel more comfortable giving oral
  presentations because they are surrounded by
  students rather than being solely in front of the
  class.

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Language Arts Classroom

• This arrangement promotes productive group
  discussions since it makes it easy for all
  students to be actively engaged.
• The open space in the room also allows more
  active learning through readers theater
  interpretations and group presentations.

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Seating Chart Tip!

• Normally when teachers make seating arrangement
  changes, they have to make a new chart or erase
  names on the old chart.
• To make this process easier, write students
  names on small post-it notes and put them on
  blank seating squares. Then place the new seating
  chart in a clear plastic insert. When it comes
  time to change seats, you just move the post it
  notes! What a time saver!