Unit 3. Classroom Organisation for Instruction

Classroom Organisation

Classroom organisation refers to the administration or direction of activities with special reference to such problem as discipline, democratic techniques, use and cares of supplies, and references materials, physical features of the classroom, general housekeeping, and the social relationships of the pupils.

Classroom Organisation/Classroom Layouts/

Desk Placement/ 

Classroom Seating Arrangement

In most classrooms, the largest amount of space is devoted to the arrangement of individual student desks. Elementary classrooms have always had desks in them, but over the years the rows of identical desks bolted to the floor have given way to more flexible configurations over which teachers have considerable control. How to arrange the seating in a classroom in order to attain specific goals are questions that many teachers now answer for themselves. Desk placement should be dictated by teachers' view of their role, their individual preference for the conditions for learning, and the appropriate means for maintaining classroom control. Teachers vary greatly concerning their preferred arrangements, but most agree that the days of 30 desks lined in neat rows and facing the teacher's desk are long gone. Instead, some teachers like to arrange desks in cooperative groups of four, while many others prefer a U-shaped or horseshoe configuration, where everyone has a front row seat. Arranging seating so that the teacher can make eye contact with every student and reach each student with ease is very important. But regardless of how desks are arranged, teachers should not be afraid to make changes. Teachers may want to evaluate and rearrange seating at the end of each unit or at the end of each month. Other teachers may want to move students' desks on a regular basis, so students learn to cooperate with each other. Teachers should not be afraid to make changes to seating arrangement, especially if the current arrangement is not working. Remember, teachers are in charge!

Seating arrangements should be considered as a primary part in a teacher’s overall plan for classroom management. Not only do teachers need to consider the physical arrangement of the room, but also the nature of the students involved. The objective in arranging the physical environment of the classroom is so that teaching and learning can occur as efficiently as possible. For example, teachers need to be able to walk around the room without the students having to move their desks. Therefore, when considering seating arrangement teachers must take into account the level of intervention and the types of students are in the room. Research has indicated that students seated in the center or front of the classroom tend to interact more frequently with the teacher and the number of behavioural problems tend to increase with students seated farther from the teacher. Also, students in the back and corners of the room are more likely to be off task than those close to the front or near the teacher’s desk.

There are many seating arrangements that teachers can use to enhance learning and managing classroom behaviour. Six common arrangements are cluster, rows, table rows, semi- circle, pairs and centres or activity zones. From my personal experiences working in the classroom and being a student, these are the seating arrangements that are most frequently used. However, the best seating arrangement will depend on the particular situation of the class, the unique needs of the students and the teacher’s personal philosophy about instruction. The following is a discussion related to different types of seating arrangements.

  

1. Cluster Seating:  Cluster seating consists of four or five desks pushed together so students are facing each other. The fifth desk, if needed, would be put on the end of the group of four. The classroom would have clusters scattered around, so each cluster would be far enough apart that the student’s chairs would not bump into each other. In this situation the teacher is free to walk around the room easily and can work with individual groups. The specific grouping of students will need to be considered before setting up this system. Should the students be grouped according to ability, cooperation, or some other variable? However, it may be important to have different ability levels of students within each group; so that they can help each other learn and grow. Clusters are very common in situations where there are a lot of collaborative learning and classroom assignments. By placing desks together it makes it easier for all students in the cluster to see each other and engage in class discussion. This arrangement also, allows for students to do individual work at their desk when needed. The philosophy of cluster group stresses group discussion and collaborative learning. While this configuration allows students to have greater hands on activities and learn by practicing, it is important for the teacher to give guidance and help to the students. There are also several disadvantages to using cluster seating. The biggest negative about cluster seating is that it can be problematic during tests or quizzes because students can easily cheat off each other. Cluster seating can also be a distraction when giving direct instructions because students may have their back to the teacher and not be focused on the front of the classroom. Cluster seating is usually found in the elementary grades and at the university level because there is more cooperative learning and hands on activities. Middle and high school instruction tends to not involve as much hands-on and cooperative learning because students at this grade level are very social and worried about who is sitting with who and friends with whom.

2. Desk Rows: Placing desks in rows where students are facing the teacher is the most traditional classroom seating arrangement. The students’ desks are not touching each other, but are lined up in rows and columns. The teacher is usually only able to walk from the front to the back of the classroom in this design. To walk from side to side would require students to move their desks. Before assigning seats to students the teacher will need to consider several variables to determine the best seating arrangement. Mapping social interactions between students may be important so the teacher can know where to place certain students in order to reduce the potential for misbehaviour and/or distractions. Also, teachers will need to decide which students can handle being in the back of the classroom, versus which students need to be up front. Placing desks in rows is a perfect arrangement for test taking, especially if the teacher is concerned about monitoring the class. The philosophy of teachers using desk rows is probably more adult-run and direct instruction. The students are all facing the teacher and can see the blackboard, visual aides, and other instructional aides. This seating arrangement makes it is easy for the teacher to continuously monitor all the students.

The greatest problem with desk rows seating arrangement is that some students are going to have to sit in the corners and in the back of the classroom. Typically in these classroom locations students tend to participate and interact less and display more behavioural problems. This arrangement is not a good design for group work or completing projects. Taking the time to have the students get into groups and move their desks can take away important instructional time during the school day. In addition, if there is behaviour problem in the middle of the room it is difficult for the teacher to get to that area of the classroom. Desk rows are very common in the middle and high school grades where frequent tests are given and direct instruction is prevalent.

  

 

3. Table Rows: Table rows consist of long tables that are placed in rows that are perpendicular to the front and back of the room. The students sit next and across from each other. This classroom arrangement is typically found in science labs and writing workshops. A table row design is a good arrangement for group work and large group projects. The philosophy of the teacher who would set up their classroom with table rows is probably one of collaborative learning. They motivate their students by letting them work together, and it helps students learn through the sharing of ideas. For example, in an English class when completing a writing assignment this arrangement. It makes it easy for students to turn to a person and do a peer editing or to share their work. In a science lab it is sensible to have a large table where everyone can have access to items and participate.

The greatest disadvantage with the table row set-up is that there will be students at the end of the tables in the back of the room that will not be able to see during the direct instruction time. Also, it is hard for the teacher to see all the students and watch their faces and behaviour. Also, this seating arrangement allows for a lot of socialising among students, and this arrangement can be problematic during testing taking. In the table rows arrangement some of the students are facing the front of the classroom, while others may have their backs to the front of the classroom. This makes it difficult to have class discussions because the students will not hear each other without moving and looking around to see who is talking. However, table rows are good for situations where there is minimal direct instruction and students engage in cooperative learning. Usually this seating arrangement is found in the middle grades in science classes.

4. Semi-circles or horseshoe: Semi-circle or horseshoe seating arrangement is when all the desks touch each other, facing the front of the room in a semi-circle or horseshoe shape. The teacher can easily see each student and each student can see the teacher and the instructional aides. The philosophies of the teacher using the semi-circle seating arrangement include emphasising direct instruction, student run classroom, or collaborative learning. Each philosophy could be implemented into this classroom arrangement because all the students can see each other and they can have discussions among themselves. The students can give ideas on how they want to do an activity, and the semi-circle seating arrangement could probably accommodate the activity. Also, because the students all have clear vision to the board, direct instruction from the teacher would be very common. The teacher is able to easily walk around the room and monitor each student’s work, provide individualised instruction, and respond to any behavioural issues. The students would also be able to work together doing projects and activities.

The greatest difficulty associated with the semi-circle or horseshoe seating arrangement is that it may not allow for as much privacy as the teacher may want. This is because the seats are very close to each other. Also, the semi-circle or horse shoe arrangement takes up almost the entire classroom, so there is not much room for activities or conferencing outside the desk area. Also, in schools where the classroom sizes have increased secondary to budget cuts the semi-circle or horseshoe configuration may not be practical. The semi-circle or horseshoe seating arrangement can be used in all grade levels and for all educational philosophies. This is because the teacher can have classroom discussions and all the students can see and hear each other. The teacher can take a passive role and listen to the students and let them manage an activity or the teacher can provide direct instruction. Also, in this arrangement the teacher can manage the classroom while providing students with step by step instructions. All the students are facing the front of the room and have their own space to work. The students can work easily together without much movement because they are sitting directly next to each other which make hands-on activities and collaborative learning possible.

 

  

5. Pairs: Having students sit in the pairs seating arrangement involves having two students’ desks placed together with space away from other pairs of students. This arrangement allows the teacher to walk around the classroom and monitor all the students in the classroom. However, before pairing students, the teacher will need to decide which students can be paired together and not misbehave, or interfere with each others’ classroom work. When using this seating arrangement the teacher’s philosophy is probably a mix between adult run and collaborative learning. Pairs allow the students to work together and independently, but also allow the teacher to provide direct instruction.

The pair seating arrangement has several positives and negatives aspects. In this arrangement students are all facing the teacher and toward the front of the classroom. Students can easily see the teacher and any instructional aides that are being used. In this situation the teacher can easily monitor students during when they are taking tests and students are able to complete individual assignments or work cooperatively. The greatest pitfall to the pairs seating arrangements is that there will be students that will be in the back and the corners of the classroom. Also, this arrangement will result in limited class interaction and discussion because the students are not facing each other and it is hard to hear or see who is talking. In order to have all students working together, the teacher will need to make sure each student has a partner and that they can work successfully together. When planning for this seating arrangement it is important that the teacher select the pairs and to make sure that no one is left out. Pair seating arrangement is found more often in fourth, fifth or sixth grades where students take more responsibility for their actions and behaviors.

6. Center Based: Lastly, activity zones or center based seating arrangement is very common in the primary grades, especially kindergarten. This seating arrangement is where there are usually about five or six tables set up in the classroom. Different learning activities are placed at each table. A number is given to each table and an activity. Students rotate from table to table engaging in specific learning activities. When using this seating arrangement the teacher’s philosophy is probably more collaborative learning. The students are doing their individual work but they are all helping each other.

            At lower grade levels where this seating arrangement is most often used it is very hard for the teacher to monitor and help the students. At times the class can get loud and seemingly out of control. It is also hard to answer questions and provide individualized instruction. In addition, when using this classroom arrangement students often have difficulty listening and following directions because the seating arrangement is conducive to socialization.  Centers or activity zones can be changed weekly or daily depending on the class size and time constraints. This seating arrangement allows the students to discover the different types of academic skills and often have fun while learning.

7. Stadium

A variation of the classic row configuration and runway, desks are grouped in clusters but all facing the same direction. Like runway, this layout is best suited teacher-centric classes.

8. Runway

Best used with smaller classes, this setup puts the emphasis on the educator. The teacher uses the runway between the two rows of facing desks to conduct the lessons. This layout is great for discussions and lecture based classes.

9. Combination

This configuration is great for classes with students of varying learning levels, methods of learning, and behavioral issues. Mix and match any configuration to best fit your needs and your students’ abilities. For example, set up part of the room as rows for students who need to focus on individual work and another part as a mini horseshoe for students who require more discussion-based activities.

Amplivox (2014). Classroom Layouts: Seating Arrangements for Effective Learning. Retrieved on February 17, 2017, from http://blog.ampli.com/2014/03/classroom-layouts-seating-arrangements-for-effective-learning.html 

Marsh-Roberts, T. (2013). Classroom Arrangement or Desk Placement. [Lecture Notes]

Pattern, G. (2017). Effective Classroom Seating Arrangements. Displays2go. Retrieved on February 17, 2017, from http://www.displays2go.com/Article/Effective-Classroom-Seating-Arrangements-32#article-section-171 

Assignment

Design a labelled Floor Plan for a specific Teaching Approach/Strategy and Activity with appropriate furniture, materials, seating, windows, doors, etc. Using a Rating Scale of 1 to 5 to indicate how well the plan was designed. Note: 1 is the lowest rate, weak and 5 is the highest rate, excellent.