Seating Arrangements

When setting up a floor plan for students, consider your teaching style and lesson plans and make seating arrangements accordingly. Here are a few options:

Half-circle or circle arrangement
Desks or tables in a circle or half-circle promote community and encourage all students to participate. Everyone sits in the front row!

Group seating
Desks or tables in small groups work especially well for classes that include collaborative activities. This arrangement also allows the teacher to group together students with similar needs, which makes individualized instruction easier.

Traditional rows
With a small number of rows, this arrangement can be very effective for teachers who frequently use boards or overhead projectors.

Special needs
Try to arrange seating to accommodate any students with special needs. For example, a student with ADD should probably sit at the front of the classroom. Do your best to place a student with special needs in a seat that does not isolate him or her.

Once you have planned the students' seating arrangement, you should decide where to locate your own desk. Many teachers prefer to place their desks so that they are not the central focus of the classroom. Regardless of where you place your desk, consider personalizing it with photographs, mementos or other items. This will make you feel at home and will contribute to a warm, welcoming classroom atmosphere.