You+Are+Where+you+Sit

Audra & Amy: The article "You Are Where You Sit" (page 47 in Rethinking Schools) emphasizes the arrangement of classroom furniture and the affect that it has on the classroom environment. It claims that there are hidden lessons about power, learning, and equality in the positioning of desks. For example, if the //desks are in rows// it implies that the teacher has the power and the student learning will involve listening to the teacher who's doing most of the talking. If desks are //arranged in a circle//, students can see each other and converse easily and all members are equal. When desks are //arranged into groups// it conveys that students can learn from each other and are encouraged to figure things out together.

As classroom teachers, how is your classroom arranged to meet the needs of your students and their learning? How do you accomodate students with special needs (ie: behavior, attention, visual/auditory needs, etc.)? Stephanie- I started out the year with the desks in groups, I love letting the students learn from each other and I do think that is true. I also think however, that they tend to chat a lot and are easily distracted. Was this article geared toward older students? Right now my desks are in rows and I hate it.....Any ideas?

 Emmy: I believe this so strongly. My high school teaching changed dramatically when I went from desks facing the front to different arrangements depending on what task we were engaged in. It sent a powerful unspoken message to students that they were the center of the teaching/learning act. When I was in the front of the room and tried to lead a discussion, the majority of students were reluctant to participate. No matter how I phrased the questions, there was the feeling that I had the right answer hidden up my sleeve. When we were a small group in a circle and there was no head, students directed their comments to others in the group rather than just to me and a real discussion resulted.  Irene: I get to see many classrooms, as I go in and pull the children for ESL. I'm pleased that I can think of few rooms that are organized into rows or columns all facing the teacher. I think that what I like best is a "square" circle all around the edges around the room. If there are more children than fit, a second "circle" or part of it can be formed inside. ** ﻿ ** Amy: This article was geared towards older students. In elementary school we also have that "carpet" time where we have a lot of mini-lessons and discussions, then the students go back to their desks to work. ﻿Carrie: I think that this is very true. I think that it is very important that children feel a sense of community. There are very few actually I don't think any of our teachers in our school have kids in rows. I don't know if it's our Responsive Classroom philosophy. ﻿ ﻿My room arrangement has taken me three years to get just right. I have a carpet where we discuss what we are doing or review what we are working on. After our time at the carpet the students move to colored lines around my rectangular demonstration table. I show them how to do the needed steps for the project we are working on and then they go to their assigned seat at thier table. I have eight tables and two tables are for students that have difficulty focusing and talk too much when sitting with others. I do say I run a tight ship; I have to if I want to keep my sanity. Kids are allowed to talk quietly, if they need to. Otherwise they (Remember I teach k-4) need to work quietly so they can "Get in the Zone of creating". Room arrangement is really important and the rooms that work the best have a combination of desks and tables. I have always thought that desks foster a "This is mine attitude" and tables foster "This is ours attitude". I do think that you need quiet areas for specific students and small table or desks can provide that. Jen

﻿Audra~ I definitely agree with the "this is mine" and "this is ours" attitude Jen. A majority of the classrooms in my school use tables instead of desks because they like the community feel. In fourth grade when the students are writing about their 4th grade experiences compared to the other grades, many of them write about how they like sitting at tables versus desks. They feel that they are more organized, because they are forced to be and they like how they feel more as a team when they discuss and work. Being a special ed. teacher I am able to see many different classroom set ups, and I can tell a difference between some of the classroom set-ups, what is working and what is not. However, as an elementary school teacher, I have yet to see any class set up their seats in a circle. They are in a circle during carpet time, but I have not seen desks/tables this way.

Cheri-At PHS, I teach in two rooms. Both have tables, one room is very small so I do not have a lot of flexability. I have it set up in a semi-circle with my desk/computer and AV equipment in the front of the room. After reading this,maybe when I want the students to discuss, I will have them pull the tables apart and face each other. I do not have the room arranged that way because I find when a students has his/her back to me they do not listen. The other room is my Foods room. The tables are arranged in rows facing the front of the room again due to outlets and the configuration of the room. Unfortunately I do not have a lot of options. Any ideals?

Christa: Since I had the pleasure of moving classrooms this summer (yea right! ;) I did have the opportunity to set up a fresh classroom and floor plan. I do agrre with the article in the the way a classroom is set up impacts the environment of the classroom. When setting up my room, I knew that I wanted my room to be open, free flowing, welcoming, warm, and inviting. And although I wanted my room to be free-flowing, I also knew that I wanted my room to include sectioned off, designated areas (or centers) in the room where students knew what they were to be doing within the area and what was expected of them. Having these expectations of the students set right away, I believe helps in establishing classroom management. In my room, these designated areas are located around the outside of my room, leaving the middle of the room open for our work tables. My students work at round tables, having either 3 or 4 to a table, which I like and feel that it encourages cooperative learning, social interaction, and peer mentoring amongst one another.