It’s a fact—there is no one-size-fits-all solution to classroom seating. Class size, student behavior, and the teacher’s lesson plans greatly affect how a classroom should be set up. Of course, it’s usually up to the teacher to decide how to arrange the classroom, and that typically involves some degree of trial and error. To help you decide what configuration is best for your students, check out the benefits and drawbacks of these popular classroom setups.
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Stadium-style seating involves angled rows of student desks that touch on the sides. This common desk arrangement faces all students to the front of the room, ensuring everyone has their eyes on the teacher and the lesson.
Pros: The primary benefit of stadium seating is that the teacher can see what every student is doing at all times because everyone is facing the front and is in clear view. Likewise, every student also has a clear view of the teacher, ensuring everyone can see what’s happening. Because students are already next to each other, group work can be done quickly and easily. The advantage of angling the rows rather than leaving them straight is that it’s easier for students to see the front of the room and also leaves some space at the front of the classroom for a podium or AV cart.
Cons: Although stadium seating works well for smaller class sizes, it may not be ideal for larger classes as the rows would need to be farther away from the front of the room to accommodate more students.
Horseshoe- or U-shaped seating is ideal for seating a large number of students without taking up the entire classroom. In a U-shaped configuration, students are seated side-by-side and can be easily separated from their friends if necessary. This arrangement allows you to utilize more wall space around the desks for other purposes.
Pros: The horseshoe shape enables teachers to fit a large number of desks in a small space, making this an ideal configuration for larger classrooms with more students. Students are more separated from each other in this configuration, making individual work easier and preventing students from getting distracted by one another.
Cons: The same benefit of spreading students out can also be a negative aspect of this classroom arrangement. Because children are so spread out, it can be difficult for a teacher to address the entire class directly. It can also make group work a little trickier since desks cannot be moved around the room as easily as they can be with a stadium configuration.
Runway-style seating involves 2 rows of desks facing each other with a good deal of space between them, forming a "runway." In this setup, the teacher stands in the runway during lessons and can walk up and down freely while speaking.
Pros: This setup emphasizes paying attention to the teacher. This configuration is best-suited for classrooms that hold a lot of lectures and class-wide discussions.
Cons: Due to the amount of space it takes up in the classroom, the runway-style configuration is not suitable for large class sizes. This type of grouping can also make group and partner work tricky.
Clusters or group seating works well if you have a smaller class and include a lot of group activities in your lesson plans. This grouping may not work with larger classrooms because it encourages collaboration, which you may find difficult to manage if too many students constantly get off-task.
Pros: This type of configuration can really save on floor space, and it’s great for supporting group activities. After all, everyone is already in groups! It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Cons: Students may be more likely to chat in this configuration, so you may struggle to hold their attention. This arrangement is distracting for many, so it may not be right for every student.
Hybrid seating involves a combination of the arrangements listed above.
Pros: Hybrid seating is very flexible and allows teachers to accommodate specific student needs. Remember what we said about there being no one-size-fits-all solution? This arrangement allows teachers to accommodate specific children with specific desk arrangements.
Cons: This style can be tricky to accommodate since it requires special procedures for passing out and collecting papers and supplies.
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A classroom is more than a space for learning. When properly planned and considered, classrooms can serve as sanctuaries from the stresses, pressures and distractions of the outside world. In the latest blog from JMC Furniture, we look at how arranging classroom furniture can create an environment that fosters creativity, productivity and social growth. See the full piece below and don’t forget to follow Jonathan Morgan & Company for more interior design insights!
How we arrange our classroom furniture may seem like an arbitrary question. However, the question is actually of great importance when it comes to classroom performance and student welfare. The fact is that furniture placement reflects a teacher’s view of how best to teach; how to maintain discipline and how students concentrate. Regardless of the teacher’s view, one fact remains: when a classroom is comfortable, students learn more.
Whilst furniture arrangement ultimately depends on teaching style, we’ve picked out four top tips for improving any learning environment. Check them out…
The classrooms of the past placed a heavy focus on singular desks, separating students into orderly lines. Whilst this may have allowed for increased discipline and order in the classroom, this arrangement does little for collaborative learning. Teachers can take the first step towards a collaborative approach by arranging furniture in a way that brings the class together.
Here at Jonathan Morgan & Company, experience has taught us that a mixture of desk arrangements can create a classroom environment that is dynamic, flexible and collaborative. We recommend arranging student desks and chairs in a combination of pairs and four-square blocks. For a little variety, this can be easily adapted into a horseshoe formation, placing pupils in a way which directly faces the teacher but also allows free conversation. The style and nature of your class will be reflected in the seating arrangements, and this should change each year.
Learning isn’t always about listening and taking notes. A core element of human growth is to learn socially, and history has previously left this demand to the playground and play areas. However, studies have shown that learning environments are more productive when they allow for a mixture of educational and social learning. But how can teachers strike this balance by arranging classroom furniture?
The key is to create a conversational space where children can relax, express themselves and exchange views and ideas. Our advice is to allocate an area of your classroom for soft seating, which can be easily moved and adapted to accommodate varying activities and class sizes. When it comes to selecting an area, try to choose a location that is well-lit and distinctly separate from the teaching area. Durability and ease-of-cleaning is a key consideration here – we recommend going for non-porous materials such as those supplied by JMC Furniture in the image above.
One of the most commonly made mistakes when arranging classroom furniture is keeping tables, desks and chairs pushed against the walls. Whilst the size of your classroom will dictate how far you can pull your furniture away from the walls, it’s essential to give your furniture some much-needed space by allowing a few inches between your furniture and the walls. Contrary to popular belief, this will create the effect of a larger space rather than a cramped one.
Of course, some teachers may be lucky to work within a larger teaching environment. For more spacious classrooms, we recommend arranging furniture in a way which focuses conversation into the middle of the room, just like the classroom we designed in the image above. When it comes to productive learning, space is what really counts.
Modern teaching is all about flexibility. Whilst this can mean swapping around desking arrangements and adapting your teaching style, you can embed flexibility into your classroom with the right choices and arrangement of furniture. There’s a key phrase to bear in mind here, and that is ‘stackability’.
Dynamic classrooms require seating that can be easily moved, easily cleaned and easily stacked. They also require furniture that is durable and ready to stand the test of constant moving, cleaning and general use. The N2 Stacking Chair by JMC Furniture is, by example, hard-wearing, easily cleaned and totally lightweight.
Flexible classrooms must also facilitate concentration, and how to do this will depend from student to student. Here at Jonathan Morgan & Company, we recommend the FOKUS Stool for its adaptability. Fully adjustable and equipped with a rocking, wobbling seat, this durable piece allows students to move freely while they work, learning in a way which suits their particular needs.
Classrooms don’t have to be clinical. JMC Furniture offers the inventory and expertise required to transform classrooms into 21st century learning environments. From teachers desks, chairs and tables to desks, storage areas and soft seating, choose Jonathan Morgan and discover why we’re trusted by schools and libraries throughout Canada. To equip your classroom for productive learning, get in touch with our expert team for a free consultation.
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