Are Your School Desk Seating Arrangements Helping or Hindering the Learning Process?
Posted on: 1 May 2017
The traditional row and column seating arrangement doesn't always create the most efficient learning environment. Many schools are starting to focus more on just how seating arrangements can improve or hinder a student's ability to learn. Depending on the goal and teaching method, you may want consider alternative seating arrangements.
School Desk Arrangement Dictates Focus
How you arrange your school desks will influence where students place the majority of their focus. Depending on what's taught, and how, you may want one of three broad approaches.
Focus on the teacher
Do you need a seating arrangement that places the instructor at the center of everyone's focus? In this way, all students can see and hear the instructor without distance or obstructions getting in the way.
The traditional row and column approach works in this capacity. However, it's limited by distance and a lack of maneuverability. Students in the back may not have the ability to focus as well as those near the front. This seating arrangement doesn't foster group activity, and can lead to students focusing on their own thing, rather than on the instructor.
A horseshoe or runway approach may work better for placing the focus on the teacher. Both these approaches will keep the students within a good distance of the teacher, and allow the teacher to demand the focus of the students equally.
Focus on the group
Is your learning environment more about group activity, group discussion, and group participation? Then you'll want to consider seating arrangements that foster that.
Setting desks in clusters can facilitate discussion among students, rather than having them all focus in the same direction, such as towards the instructor. Your clusters can consist of any size, but will still allow an instructor to walk among them. In this way, instructors can assist and guide groups altogether or individually.
Focus on flexibility
Some classrooms require an equal amount of teacher-centered time and group activity. You can mix and match approaches to come up with hybrids that can achieve both. You can also choose school desks that are more maneuverable, so you can switch arrangements on the fly.
Choosing the Right Seating Arrangement
No matter which seating arrangement you would like, it will still have to work in the classroom itself. So you may come across limits such as the size of the space and number of students. This can force you to get a little creative with your arrangement and the types of school desks you choose. To find desks to fit your needs, check out retailers like School Supply Specialty.
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