Unit I - Chapter 1.3

SLO 1.3 - Organize physical and social classroom resources for an effective learning environment. 

• Wong, p. 50-67 (Unit B, First Characteristics - Positive Expectations), 80-99, 113-122 (Unit C Second Characteristic—Classroom Management)

Vocabulary Disclaimer - By this point, you should know that there are no tests or quizzes in this class. The following is a series of words and phrases that are commonly used in this course, specifically, and more generally in education and learning and by teachers. Becoming familiar with vocabulary and concepts used by teachers and experts in the field is an important part of the learning and professional maturation process.  Ultimately, these ideas and words will become part of your register, lexicon, or part of the language you use to express yourself as an educator. While they may be somewhat unfamiliar at this stage, as you learn them, some will stick and help to form a strong conceptual understanding of teaching and learning. 

Be thinking about two main elements of the classroom space....the social space & the physical space

Each individual has a different perspective on how the world is and how the world should be. This is often shaped by who we are and where we come from. Teachers are no different. There are mean, nice, witchy, pushover, smart, quiet, loud, funny, dull, young, old, fast, and slow ones. There are Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Irish, Hawaiian, Indonesian, Filipino, Samoan, English, French, Portuguese, and Micronesian ones. Combine all of these with various genders and national origins and unlimited diversity. 

People often define and align themselves with particular groups based on the value structure of that particular community. They try to create a world and environment based on these values. As a teacher, you will choose to set up your classroom based on the values you possess and those you wish to develop in your students.

RECOGNIZE THESE IDENTITIES ARE NOT SET IN STONE, NOR DOES IT MEAN THAT IF YOU ARE ONE, YOU CAN BE ANOTHER. THE WORLD IS DYNAMIC, MULTICULTURAL, AND DIFFERENT, AND SO ARE PEOPLE. IT CAN BE HELPFUL TO EXPLORE GENERALIZATIONS TO CREATE UNDERSTANDING!

Each and everyone has their style and background. These should be the strengths of a teacher and schools. 

Check it out! Classroom Design Essentials for Educators

A collection of our popular articles and videos on budget-friendly, research-backed ways to set up your classroom—and how to keep students, spaces, and SEL in mind.

Part I:  The Social and Cultural Environment

Just remember this starts with some really simple concepts like you should focus on...

How do we do this? What are the elements of healthy relationships?

Harry Wong reminds us...

Indicators and characteristics of an effective classroom culture

Enrichment & Follow-up: NPR programming (*optional enrichment)

"It was a standardized IQ test, Flanagan's Test of General Ability," he says. "But the cover we put on it, we had printed on every test booklet, said 'Harvard Test of Inflected Acquisition.' "

Rosenthal told the teachers that this very special test from Harvard had the very special ability to predict which kids were about to be very special — that is, which kids were about to experience a dramatic growth in their IQ.

Part II:  The Physical Environment

After that turn your thoughts, ideas, and values into real life. You must begin to look at how you are going to construct your classroom. Here is an example of a teacher on Hawai‘i Island who loves traveling and models her classroom after each continent of the world as she moves through her curriculum!

Seating Arrangement - Factors That Influence Classroom Configurations

Think about being as creative as this teacher! (*optional enrichment)

Every classroom, teacher, student, and situation is unique. To find the best classroom seating arrangement for you, a little ingenuity and creativity may be necessary. Think outside the box or beyond the usual rows and horseshoes and create your own configuration. There are plenty of online tools such as Scholastic's Class Set-Up Tool (*optional enrichment) and Kaplan's Floorplanner (*optional enrichment) to help you develop your own classroom desk (*optional enrichment) layout.

Watch how this teacher uses a creative setup and shares her reasoning behind her classroom floorplan:

Classroom Size and Shape - Before you start moving your desks all around, make sure your preferred seating arrangement can work within the space and school furniture (*optional enrichment) you have. Some configurations may not be feasible with certain classrooms. Also, be mindful of obstructions like support beams, poles, walls and other fixtures that can’t be moved. For many teachers, the chalkboard or whiteboard is a major focus in their teaching. Make sure your students can clearly see it without too much strain or difficulty. For more mobility and flexibility, consider swapping your wall-mounted chalkboard for a rolling whiteboard (*optional enrichment) or computer cart or stand with wheels that can be easily moved around the classroom.

Distractions - Identifying and mitigating possible distractions will help streamline your lessons and boost classroom productivity. Things like windows overlooking the playground, nearby busy lobbies, and hallways, water fountains or even someone using the pencil sharpener can easily grab the attention of a borderline disengaged student. Try to keep these distractions out of your students’ line of sight.

Student Age and Size - The number of students in your class cannot be discounted when considering classroom seating arrangements. However, just because you have a larger class of 20 or more students doesn’t mean you have to abandon your preferred desk configuration. There is a bevy of variations of each design idea to accommodate most class sizes...you just have to be creative.

The age and maturity level of your students can also hinder your choice selection. When selecting a classroom setup, be aware of what would be age-appropriate for your class. If you have students who display behavior issues, be mindful of special seating considerations (*optional enrichment).

Teaching Style & Objectives - This is the most important factor and, unlike the others we’ve listed, it’s completely in your hands. Classroom seating arrangements support your teaching style and objectives (*optional enrichment) or sabotage them.

Who do you want to be the focus of the class?

• Teacher-Centered Class - If your class is going to be a lecture- and presentation-centric, use a configuration where all students can see you and the place you speak from.

• Learner-Centered Class - With these classes, student discussion, and group work are paramount. Find a seating arrangement that encourages students to interact with one another.

• Both - Many educators adhere to the belief that a balanced education has a healthy mixture of both teacher-centered presentations and student-based discussions and work. Look for seating layouts that are flexible and functional.

How do you want the class to interact?

• Minimal - Interaction flows from the teacher to the student. Student-to-student discussion is scarce. Testing and individual work also dominate the class.

• Small Groups - Students interact in pairs or small groups.

• Large Groups - Students engage in group discussions and lessons with the entire class.

What are your learning objectives?

• Knowledge - Students will learn and understand the content of the coursework. Use configurations that support independent activity and emphasize focus on content.

• Skill Growth - Students develop a certain set of skills during this course. For skills that rely on cooperation, communication, teamwork, reflection, etc., layouts that encourage group work and discussion are preferred. For more independent skills like troubleshooting, analysis, listening, etc., look for configurations that support independent work and minimize distractions.

• Dispositions (social and emotional) - Students to develop successful academic habits and attitudes towards school. 

Most Common Configurations

• Traditional Rows or Columns - The rows configuration (also known as the columns configuration) is the most common classroom arrangement. This type of setup complements class structures that revolve around teacher-based instruction and presentations. Students are more focused on coursework and independent assignments. They are also less likely and/or able to cheat with this layout. Though this seating arrangement can be used with any class size, large classes may often see uneven levels of interaction as students in the front row will participate more while those in the back may lose focus.

• Horseshoe or U-Shape - This model supports both student-to-student interaction and teacher-to-student interaction. The class interacts in a large group format, though teachers have ample opportunity to work with students one on one. Courses that emphasize discussions and presentations typically function well with this configuration.

• Clusters - Clustering the desks (*optional enrichment) into small groups promotes student-to-student interaction. Students develop skills such as communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and more in this arrangement. These clusters offer safe and comfortable environments for students to share ideas. This comfort, however, also lends itself to off-task behavior and a large increase in noise level and distractions.

• Alternative Configurations - For some educators, the most common classroom seating arrangements aren’t the most effective. There are infinite amounts of variations of clusters, horseshoes, and rows, and even more classroom setups that are completely new and different. Here is just a handful of examples of more alternative approaches (*optional enrichment).

• Runway - Best used with smaller classes, this setup puts the emphasis on the educator. The teacher uses the runway between the two rows of facing desks to conduct the lessons. This layout is great for discussions and lecture-based classes.

• Stadium - A variation of the classic row configuration and runway, desks are grouped in clusters but all facing the same direction. Like runway, this layout is best suited teacher-centric classes.

• Combination - This configuration is great for classes with students of varying learning levels, methods of learning, and behavioral issues. Mix and match any configuration to best fit your needs and your students’ abilities. For example, set up part of the room as rows for students who need to focus on individual work and another part as a mini horseshoe for students who require more discussion-based activities. 

Here are the 6 facets of the classroom environment to keep in mind... (*optional enrichment) 

• among the other amazing ideas 

• among more amazing ideas...

• other classrooms... 

• and, some more ideas. 

Get familiar with Social Media and Teaching! 

Simple and General Checklist

Check it out from an expert too who thinks it's essential to participate in Cultivating a Positive Environment for Students (*optional enrichment) !

• Enrichment link - Classroom Feng Shui 

• Enrichment link - Developing strong relationships 

• Enrichment link - Classroom examples

• Assessment link - Preschool in 3 Cultures 

• Assessment link - Pygmalion Effect 

Chapter 1.4 - Managing Authority (Link to Google Sites)