One of the opportunities I had during my placement was to creating seating arrangements for the students when they come back to the classroom. I visited my mentor's classroom after distance learning had concluded and helped her prepare resources for the students. This included creating name tags, personalizing student buckets and reading materials. After finishing this, my mentor asked me to help her assign seats for her students. At the end, I was able to figure out a seating arrangement that is suitable for the students and my mentor.

Before arranging the seating, I felt excited. It meant that my mentor trusted my understanding about the students to be able to figure out a seating arrangement that would work best. During the arrangement, I started to feel unsure. This was because I overthought a lot of things. I was considering the students familiarity with one another, their small group partners and even the level of help they will need from my mentor. At then, I felt satisfied because I thought the seating arrangement I had created would be suitable for everyone. I also felt a little worried because I didn't know if the students would like it.

What was good about this experience is that I was able to try firsthand in arranging a classroom. I've never done this before, so I was glad to have attempted it. What went well during this experience is that I was able to figure out the proper seating arrangement for many of the students. For the students who were talkative, I decided it would be best for them to be at the front so my mentor can properly monitor them. I also tried to have seating arrangements they'd like by placing them next to their friends. One of the kids in class had mentioned that another kid was their best friend, so I tried to place them close to one another. Lastly, I even took into consideration the small groups. My mentor mentioned that students will have limited mobility in the classroom, to prevent contact with each other. So, I suggested that students should have at least one person from their small group sitting near them, so they wouldn't have to travel far when they need to partner up. My mentor agreed with this and I felt proud of myself for thinking of this.

What I learned from this experience is that figuring out a students' seating arrangement can definitely lead to effective learning. It also plays a large role in classroom management as where a student seats can affect how they act in class. Depending on where they can sit, it can determine their focus and behaviors in class. It also establishes a routine of learning. Students know that when they come in to the classroom, they need to immediately sit down and begin their learning. This also does not take time away from the classroom as students don't need to wander aimlessly trying to figure out where to sit.