How do you place your students in the classroom? In rows, columns, table groups, stations, circles . . . Mickey Mouse ears shape? We have tried and debated them all, but which one is the best? The world may never know.
Yet, when we recount our own learning experiences, we not only remember the subject material being taught (and that amazing teacher we had), but we also remember where we were in both space and time. Here, I will share some of my strategies for spacing kids in the classroom to help eliminate behavioral disruptions and to promote positive academic discourse.
Counting the Cost
Before we embark on any planning adventure (whether it be seating charts, planning lessons, or even planning our own breaks in a day), we must first count the costs. We all know denying ourselves and taking up crosses daily is the highest cost as a Christian educator/disciple of Jesus, and it is an even bolder move to trust in the Lord to inspire that same cost analysis in our students (the band Rend Collective expresses a great outlook on this with their song lyric “I have counted up the cost, and you [Jesus] are worth it!”). Luke 14:28–33 is filled with more examples Jesus gives about counting costs that relate with daily planning. Likewise, when creating seating charts, it is important to realize that there will be a cost correlation between where you place students, the resulting behavior, and overall classroom dynamics.
Likewise, when creating seating charts, it is important to realize that there will be a cost correlation between where you place students, the resulting behavior, and overall classroom dynamics.
It’s important to note that there are several other factors that will affect a student’s learning (like head space, basic physiological needs, and other environmental factors), and the strategies in this article are purely suggestions and not prescriptions. This article will feature the following ideas in guiding you toward a new way of envisioning how you place and space students within your classroom: the purpose of seating charts, student-created spaces for effective discussion, and cues for seating during project demonstrations and presentations. Harro Van Brummelen, in Stepping Stones Curriculum, says that “a mixture of individual, whole group and small group learning helps students develop their diverse abilities, and they learn to contribute their gifts to the classroom community for the good of the whole” (38). Therefore, it is also important to note that seating charts should never be static, because seating plans may be altered over time or even changed for a particular activity to allow for a variety of different interactions.
“Why Do We Use Seating Charts?”
“Why do we use seating charts, Mr. Skjeveland?”
“I can give you three reasons.”
“But we’re in grade 12.”
“Would you like to hear them?”
Every year, I get to have this amazing conversation with students about the power of seating charts. I believe these reasons work for all grade levels.
Arranging students in particular ways can allow them to get to know and affirm each other, particularly when the teacher uses prompts that invite students to be encouragers of one another.
Reason 1: Encouragement
First off, there are many verses supporting the importance of community and fellowship among believers, highlighting the need to gather together regularly, support each other, and encourage one another in love and good works (see, for instance, Heb. 10:24–25). It takes one thing to be the discoverer of one’s spiritual gifts and talents, but it means so much more when you have a flood of people encouraging and supporting you in those gifts and talents as well. Think about why you decided to become a teacher. Surely, there was one singular moment in your life where you decided to be a teacher, but instead you experienced an accumulation of moments of people verifying that gift of teaching. Arranging students in particular ways can allow them to get to know and affirm each other, particularly when the teacher uses prompts that invite students to be encouragers of one another.
*Possible prompts: What is the strongest skill you want to offer to this project? What is one thing you wish you could do to take this project to the next level? How can we accelerate those skills and dreams?
Reason 2: Nobody Is Singled Out
The social hierarchy that happens within a “sit where you like” setting can cause extreme anxiety for many students.
For all the ’90s kids out there, remember the standard set up in class? Jocks sit together in the back of the class, while the other cliques keep together. The bad kid sits in one of the corners (far away from everyone else), the nerds are in the front, and if you are a new kid or don’t fit into a group, then you are on your own figuring out where to sit. The social hierarchy that happens within a “sit where you like” setting can cause extreme anxiety for many students. Having a consistent seating space where everyone will eventually interact with everyone else can eliminate this worry.
*Disclaimer: Teachers will still have to place students near the front of the class (or in other spaces) who have that as their education plan.
Reason 3: New Is Fun!
This one is the shortest reason. We all love the *drum roll* introduction to the new seating chart. To avoid the huge sighs of frustration when a student gets placed next to “Silly Sam,” it is important to give a preliminary expectation speech of how we want to respond and be responded to for the big reveal of the new seats.
“But Creating and Recreating Seating Charts Takes Forever. We Don’t Have Time for That!”
The initial setup only takes about twenty minutes, if you can copy and paste names into Excel and create boxes representing your tables. Then, for the rest of the year, it takes less than a millisecond! This is an abridged version of this article. To read more, subscribe to the print or digital edition of Christian Educators Journal.
Works Cited
Davenport, Mary. “Why I Embrace Seating Charts in High School.” Edutopia, 9 Oct. 2023, www.edutopia.org/article/seating-charts-high-school
Odgers, Benjamin (Mr. Bodgers). “How to Make a Random Seating Plan Generator in Microsoft Excel (for Teachers).” YouTube, 10 Sept. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE4RhaG5Rfg.
Odgers, Benjamin (Mr. Bodgers). “How to Make a Random Seating Plan Generator in Microsoft Excel Version 2 (for Teachers).” Youtube, 6 Dec. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITbJo7DfgH0.
Van Brummelen, Harro. Steppingstones to Curriculum: A Biblical Path. 2nd ed., Purposeful Design, 2002.
Mitchell Skjeveland is a science teacher at White Rock Christian Academy (Surrey, BC), who enjoys running and coaching running. He moved to Canada in 2018 from Colorado, having spent most of his life in the Midwest United States. He was heavily involved with the campus Navigators program in university, which propelled him into his ministry journey in education.