A staple of any classroom environment is the seating plan. Fundamentally, there are two types of seating: assigned seating, where the teacher chooses where students sit, and free seating, where students can choose who to sit with. While many students prefer free seating, assigned seating also has its benefits. Because of this, teachers should aim to use a balance of both free and assigned seating in the classroom.
Assigned seating can be used to “get people outside of their comfort zone in terms of getting to work with a more diverse group of people,” Sarah Legge, an AP Biology teacher, said.
Through assigned seating, students can get to know classmates they might not otherwise interact with. While free seating may help a student feel comfortable, assigned seating fosters a sense of comfort for the whole class.
“I came here, and it was a shock to me that people in the same class didn’t even know each other’s names,” Kimberly Scheltz, a math teacher at Lexington High School, said. Scheltz noted that assigned seating is helpful “not just [for] teaching math skills, but teaching students how to work with different types of people.”
Additionally, assigned seating can boost participation in class discussions, as it will be “easier to speak in front of the class if you know all of your classmates and are comfortable with all of them,” Scheltz said.
However, assigned seating comes with its downsides. Many students prefer free seating because they feel more comfortable working and sharing their thoughts with friends.
“Free seating and choosing the people who I’m more comfortable with to sit with would probably help me open up a little bit more,” Isabella Kim, a freshman, said.
Even so, free seating can often lead to a lack of focus in class, as students may be more easily distracted.
“Assigned seating typically helps me focus, because then I’m not worried about being distracted too much,” Kim said.
Both assigned seating and free seating come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Most teachers at LHS use a unique combination that works best for them and their students. By incorporating a variety of seating arrangements, teachers can learn more about their students, while students are able to collaborate with different peers.
For instance, Legge assigns seats for the second and third quarters of the year, but allows students to choose their own seats during quarter one. Free seating enables her to evaluate existing relationships among students and get a feel for the classroom environment she is working with early on in the year.
“It matters less the grouping and arrangements, and more just building that comfort,” Legge explained.
On the other hand, Scheltz uses randomized seating every day, where her students choose a card that assigns them to a specific table group. On review days, she allows students to pick their own seats, maximizing the benefits of both arrangements: assigned seating helps students focus and build interpersonal skills, while free seating allows them to feel more comfortable asking questions and sharing thoughts.
By varying seating arrangements, teachers can orchestrate a high-functioning learning environment that benefits the entire classroom atmosphere.