Its good to hear a teacher that actually cares about her students. I can't tell you how many times i got stuck with a teacher who just sat at their desk and pasted out packets of work. That's not teaching!! Being interactive with the students makes them want to pay attention and not fall asleep. I love this :) Wish you were my teacher!
So I'm a huge fan of your resources on TPT, and was so excited to hear more wise words on UA-cam :). Thank you for taking the time-your strategies and lessons developed over a teaching career have truly made a positive impact in my classroom. Naturally, when I saw this video, I thought that I'd try it out this year. My co-workers thought I was a little nuts (won't the students get off track? How will you keep them from talking with each other?). For over a month and a half, I've experienced student involvement like never before! They feel like we're working together, instead of teacher/student. Plus, my step counter has almost doubled as I walk around the room, and I'm in a size smaller pants. I think you should include this as a weight loss tip as well :). Thanks for the great idea and appreciate your time!
+RillaCooper I love this so much! Keep walkin', RillaCooper. :) Thanks so much for finding me here and taking a chance with something new in your classroom. Thrilled that it's working out so well for you!
I usually set my classroom up in teams of 4, but this year my largest class has 39 students at this time and the fours just don't seem to be working out. Right now I have them in pairs kind like the "sad" classroom, but two rows are together so the kids have a buddy. I like this, I think I will try it next, thanks for sharing.
I love this layout. So, you don't have any complaints from kiddos that they can't see the board? I move my desks frequently. It is a bit of a joke that they never know what the room will look like when they come in. I have tables instead of single desks, but I think I could still pull this off. My biggest concern is that the ones in the back may not be able to see. Maybe that it isn't really a problem. We start school on Monday, so I'm thinking I'll have the kids move the tables, and we'll try this out.
Yeah, Cristy, this hasn't been a problem. The kids just move their heads a quarter turn to see the board and it's all good. We're also regularly sliding desks all over the place depending on the daily lesson. Hope your launch to the year went well! :)
@@laurarandazzo1158 Thanks so much! We are two weeks down, and it's been great! It's going to be an awesome year. I'm not sure when you go back, but I wish you all the best.
that teacher desk takes up a lot of valuable real estate. i never sat at a desk in 20 years of teaching - i would rather have extra pathways to get to all students, but maybe its very necessary in math instruction to inspect progress during guided practice time.
Just found your site and am thankful for such. I teach English as a second language in Israel and I do not have my own classroom. I "run" from building to building, classroom to classroom. I would love to set the classroom up as you suggested because currently they are all set up in that "sad state". Would it be too time consuming at the beginning of each class to rearrange the desks? Some of the lessons are 90 minutes and others just 45 minutes.
I love this! Only question is how do you attend to learners who are at the 2nd 3rd and last rows to the left or right? Seems you can't get to them. I'm concerned for those writing moments when you want to check their work. We have the same number of learners so I definitely want to try this
Glad this might work for you, deliabyday. Don't be fooled by the tightness of the illustration. Sorry about that. There is plenty of room between the rows for both me and students to walk to any/every seat in the cluster. I sometimes have to step around a splay of backpacks and jackets, but I'm always able to get to everyone. Hope this is helpful. Happy new year!
Do you have enough room to go up and down the aisles between the students' seats? So you could see their work during class:? I also find that I need to check their tablets all the time to make sure they're not busy with other things...
I like the setting however, I am wondering about the kid’s postures when they turn their heads to look at the whiteboard most of the time. Is it something I should be concerned?
Oh, they see me, for sure. I'm like a shark, forever circling the room while I talk. Also, the room isn't very big, so it actually works pretty well for me. Try your own layout and see what works best for you, your style, your kids. Thanks for watching!
Muffin Monster Gotcha, Muffin Monster. So glad you’re watching and thinking and contributing. Often, students are THE solution to fix our education hurdles. Glad you’re here with me! :)
Ugh one of my favorite teachers had a room like this! It's quite early for me to think about classroom setup (starting college this fall haha), but I would really like to decorate my classroom with a home-y feel! It might seem a little naïve, but I would like to take a much more friendly appeal, such as allowing non-allergen snacks, phone chargers, and even flexible seating. The flexible seating is my biggest issue because of class sizes. The only way to allow for that seating is if the students are in small groups. Would you say this works as well?
I love that you're already thinking ahead, Annabeth. Yes, flexible seating can work with large class sizes. I haven't walked that path because of finances and fire codes (limited on upholstered items), but I know several teachers who've built incredible flexible seating environments at their schools. In my experience, school funds aren't available for this, so you'll need to either win a grant or buy the furniture yourself, which can add up when figuring out seating for 35 teenagers. Instead, I've always just moved the desks around a whole lot to keep things varied and interesting - the main "home" setting described in this video, but then also groups of three, amoebas of five, inner/outer circles, etc. Your heart and enthusiasm for the day's lesson will matter more to students than how you've arranged the desks, too. :)
I Want to set up my classroom like this but I have a wall of chalkboard on the side of the room. There is a smart board at the front like yours. How would you suggest I set up the room so my students could see both the smart board and chalkboard and still have the catwalk? Thank you.
Regina Anguiano Hey, Regina. With that set-up, I’d probably try to limit my in-class use of that extra chalkboard and just leave static announcements or the daily homework information up there. That way, kids could still see the board, but you wouldn’t have a reason to climb over those rows to access it during class lectures. These days, most of my board work is on the SmartBoard. Hope that solution might work for you!
Great question, Sarah. It's only there because it was massive and too heavy for me to move. I changed classrooms last year and the new layout has the same two sides + catwalk, but the much smaller teacher desk is in the back of the room. Feel free to slide things around however best fits your layout! :)
+Courtney Geiger Oh no, Courtney. The kids are all facing each other. Each side faces the center of the room, the catwalk area. That way, good conversations are encouraged, as we can all see each other. Hope this helps you visualize the layout.
That's how my room is laid out. I like being able to walk the 'catwalk' but I block students when I write on the board. My students just have a lot of behavior issues.
Ah, I see...we all definitely need to do whatever works best with our populations and personal teaching styles. I'm so glad you found my channel! TGIF!
Great question, Bree! I didn't even think to add that. Oops! There's a wall of cabinets on the back wall of the classroom. Student desks block me from getting to them during class, but I rarely have to access anything there while I'm teaching anyway. When I do, the kids just pick up their desks and slide out of the way. No problem and it increases the floor space for the catwalk.
Cecilia Remeta Hey, Cecilia, thanks for watching! Nothing changes during tests because there’s enough space between the rows and seats for test security. I also watch ‘em like a hawk. ;)
TIFFANY COLEMAN Hi Tiffany! You’re looking at a Prezi, a free online presentation software you can find at Prezi.com. I usually just use pencil and paper to draw my actual layouts, but I went ahead and made a Prezi version for this video. Hope you find a way to incorporate some of these ideas into your classroom. :)
Dear Laura, sadly in Italy the same classroom/pupils see the various teachers entering it. As a consequence, the frontal layout is difficult to eliminate once and for all - unless everybody agrees upon it. Tradition prevails😢
Oh, yes, Simonetta, I've heard of that model where the teachers travel and the students stay in the same room all day. I'm sure that brings with it an entirely different set of issues. I don't know if this is possible, but could you spend the first 60 seconds of each class period having the students help you rearrange the desks and the last 60 seconds putting them back in their regular order? I'd even use a timer and award a class prize (extra brain teaser time, one-minute early dismissal to lunch one day, 2 bonus points in the grade book, whatever...) for every 10 successful days of stopwatch-beating furniture moving. Just an idea. Thanks for watching!
Dear Laura (and your surname is sooo familiar in Sicily), thanks a lot for your ideas and your kindness in replying. You always propose good practical solutions. Hugs and kisses.🌹
Sarah Robert A great question, Sarah! Happily, this hasn't been an issue in my room because the desk seat-bases are large enough for students to swivel their bodies and still have a solid writing surface. I would, of course, give preferential seating to any students who have neck or vision issues. So glad you took the time to watch this. Thanks! :) Laura
Where are your printables, etc.? So much talk, talk, talk.... I need some handouts to use and printed material in that I am a visual learner. I'm disappointed.
Ah, sorry to disappoint, Theresa. I don't have any printables for my seating chart. A world of printables can be found here: www.teacherspayteachers.com I'm hopeful a fellow teacher-author over there will have something that'll work for you. Happy planning!
Rikki Sjoeberg Fair enough, Rikki. And with 34 kids packed in each class, it honestly feels like a factory sometimes. How would you set up the layout? Would love to see a video with your ideas/solution!
Its good to hear a teacher that actually cares about her students. I can't tell you how many times i got stuck with a teacher who just sat at their desk and pasted out packets of work. That's not teaching!! Being interactive with the students makes them want to pay attention and not fall asleep. I love this :) Wish you were my teacher!
I like the idea of the students facing one another. Had not thought of that
I like how enthusiastic you are
I love how happy your students look in the video! I love the layout.
Thanks, Valerie. :)
I am definitely going to try this layout in my classroom this year. I need to get my kids more engaged with one another.
Definitely hoping this helps, Jean. Happy summer! :)
So I'm a huge fan of your resources on TPT, and was so excited to hear more wise words on UA-cam :). Thank you for taking the time-your strategies and lessons developed over a teaching career have truly made a positive impact in my classroom.
Naturally, when I saw this video, I thought that I'd try it out this year. My co-workers thought I was a little nuts (won't the students get off track? How will you keep them from talking with each other?). For over a month and a half, I've experienced student involvement like never before! They feel like we're working together, instead of teacher/student. Plus, my step counter has almost doubled as I walk around the room, and I'm in a size smaller pants. I think you should include this as a weight loss tip as well :). Thanks for the great idea and appreciate your time!
+RillaCooper I love this so much! Keep walkin', RillaCooper. :) Thanks so much for finding me here and taking a chance with something new in your classroom. Thrilled that it's working out so well for you!
I usually set my classroom up in teams of 4, but this year my largest class has 39 students at this time and the fours just don't seem to be working out. Right now I have them in pairs kind like the "sad" classroom, but two rows are together so the kids have a buddy. I like this, I think I will try it next, thanks for sharing.
With 39 kids, you might need bleachers, Stacy! Ohmygoodness!
I also do groups of 4. I have about 20 students per class, but I was told that I might have 30 next semester. I might have to change the layout.
I love this layout. So, you don't have any complaints from kiddos that they can't see the board? I move my desks frequently. It is a bit of a joke that they never know what the room will look like when they come in. I have tables instead of single desks, but I think I could still pull this off. My biggest concern is that the ones in the back may not be able to see. Maybe that it isn't really a problem. We start school on Monday, so I'm thinking I'll have the kids move the tables, and we'll try this out.
Yeah, Cristy, this hasn't been a problem. The kids just move their heads a quarter turn to see the board and it's all good. We're also regularly sliding desks all over the place depending on the daily lesson. Hope your launch to the year went well! :)
@@laurarandazzo1158 Thanks so much! We are two weeks down, and it's been great! It's going to be an awesome year. I'm not sure when you go back, but I wish you all the best.
that teacher desk takes up a lot of valuable real estate. i never sat at a desk in 20 years of teaching - i would rather have extra pathways to get to all students, but maybe its very necessary in math instruction to inspect progress during guided practice time.
Just found your site and am thankful for such. I teach English as a second language in Israel and I do not have my own classroom. I "run" from building to building, classroom to classroom. I would love to set the classroom up as you suggested because currently they are all set up in that "sad state". Would it be too time consuming at the beginning of each class to rearrange the desks? Some of the lessons are 90 minutes and others just 45 minutes.
I employ a similar full-court press with a laser pointer on a lanyard and a wireless keyboard with touchpad in hand.
Thank you so much. I just love your channel.
Love the love, Regina! :)
I love this! Only question is how do you attend to learners who are at the 2nd 3rd and last rows to the left or right? Seems you can't get to them. I'm concerned for those writing moments when you want to check their work. We have the same number of learners so I definitely want to try this
Glad this might work for you, deliabyday. Don't be fooled by the tightness of the illustration. Sorry about that. There is plenty of room between the rows for both me and students to walk to any/every seat in the cluster. I sometimes have to step around a splay of backpacks and jackets, but I'm always able to get to everyone. Hope this is helpful. Happy new year!
@@laurarandazzo1158 good to know! Schools in South Africa open in 2 weeks. I'm so doing this! Thank you 👏🏽👏🏽
I put my desks in fours for Kagan activities.
Do you have enough room to go up and down the aisles between the students' seats? So you could see their work during class:? I also find that I need to check their tablets all the time to make sure they're not busy with other things...
Oh yeah, Lori, I can access everyone. It's a tight fit, but there are walkable spaces between each row. Hope you're set for a great 19-20! :)
Definitely trying this.
I like the setting however, I am wondering about the kid’s postures when they turn their heads to look at the whiteboard most of the time. Is it something I should be concerned?
No concern there, at all. The desks allow them room to swivel their whole bodies around. All is good.
That works for me too! I love this seating arrangement
So glad this might work for you, Robin!
It’s nice but... the desks are too close together and the people at the back wouldn’t be able to see you but at least they can all see the board well
Oh, they see me, for sure. I'm like a shark, forever circling the room while I talk. Also, the room isn't very big, so it actually works pretty well for me. Try your own layout and see what works best for you, your style, your kids. Thanks for watching!
Laura Randazzo I’m a student, this was just in my recommendations so I watched and commented
Muffin Monster Gotcha, Muffin Monster. So glad you’re watching and thinking and contributing. Often, students are THE solution to fix our education hurdles. Glad you’re here with me! :)
Ugh one of my favorite teachers had a room like this! It's quite early for me to think about classroom setup (starting college this fall haha), but I would really like to decorate my classroom with a home-y feel! It might seem a little naïve, but I would like to take a much more friendly appeal, such as allowing non-allergen snacks, phone chargers, and even flexible seating. The flexible seating is my biggest issue because of class sizes. The only way to allow for that seating is if the students are in small groups. Would you say this works as well?
I love that you're already thinking ahead, Annabeth. Yes, flexible seating can work with large class sizes. I haven't walked that path because of finances and fire codes (limited on upholstered items), but I know several teachers who've built incredible flexible seating environments at their schools. In my experience, school funds aren't available for this, so you'll need to either win a grant or buy the furniture yourself, which can add up when figuring out seating for 35 teenagers. Instead, I've always just moved the desks around a whole lot to keep things varied and interesting - the main "home" setting described in this video, but then also groups of three, amoebas of five, inner/outer circles, etc. Your heart and enthusiasm for the day's lesson will matter more to students than how you've arranged the desks, too. :)
I Want to set up my classroom like this but I have a wall of chalkboard on the side of the room. There is a smart board at the front like yours. How would you suggest I set up the room so my students could see both the smart board and chalkboard and still have the catwalk? Thank you.
Regina Anguiano Hey, Regina. With that set-up, I’d probably try to limit my in-class use of that extra chalkboard and just leave static announcements or the daily homework information up there. That way, kids could still see the board, but you wouldn’t have a reason to climb over those rows to access it during class lectures. These days, most of my board work is on the SmartBoard. Hope that solution might work for you!
Is there a particular reason you have your desk at the front vs. the back of the room?
Great question, Sarah. It's only there because it was massive and too heavy for me to move. I changed classrooms last year and the new layout has the same two sides + catwalk, but the much smaller teacher desk is in the back of the room. Feel free to slide things around however best fits your layout! :)
Are the desks actually facing the wall? So as you walk the middle aisle, you're at their backs?
+Courtney Geiger Oh no, Courtney. The kids are all facing each other. Each side faces the center of the room, the catwalk area. That way, good conversations are encouraged, as we can all see each other. Hope this helps you visualize the layout.
That's how my room is laid out. I like being able to walk the 'catwalk' but I block students when I write on the board. My students just have a lot of behavior issues.
Ah, I see...we all definitely need to do whatever works best with our populations and personal teaching styles. I'm so glad you found my channel! TGIF!
Where do you put your storage items like supplies?
Great question, Bree! I didn't even think to add that. Oops! There's a wall of cabinets on the back wall of the classroom. Student desks block me from getting to them during class, but I rarely have to access anything there while I'm teaching anyway. When I do, the kids just pick up their desks and slide out of the way. No problem and it increases the floor space for the catwalk.
What do you do for testing time?
Cecilia Remeta Hey, Cecilia, thanks for watching! Nothing changes during tests because there’s enough space between the rows and seats for test security. I also watch ‘em like a hawk. ;)
What program did you create the floor plan in??
TIFFANY COLEMAN Hi Tiffany! You’re looking at a Prezi, a free online presentation software you can find at Prezi.com. I usually just use pencil and paper to draw my actual layouts, but I went ahead and made a Prezi version for this video. Hope you find a way to incorporate some of these ideas into your classroom. :)
Dear Laura,
sadly in Italy the same classroom/pupils see the various teachers entering it. As a consequence, the frontal layout is difficult to eliminate once and for all - unless everybody agrees upon it. Tradition prevails😢
Oh, yes, Simonetta, I've heard of that model where the teachers travel and the students stay in the same room all day. I'm sure that brings with it an entirely different set of issues. I don't know if this is possible, but could you spend the first 60 seconds of each class period having the students help you rearrange the desks and the last 60 seconds putting them back in their regular order? I'd even use a timer and award a class prize (extra brain teaser time, one-minute early dismissal to lunch one day, 2 bonus points in the grade book, whatever...) for every 10 successful days of stopwatch-beating furniture moving. Just an idea. Thanks for watching!
Dear Laura (and your surname is sooo familiar in Sicily), thanks a lot for your ideas and your kindness in replying. You always propose good practical solutions. Hugs and kisses.🌹
Simonetta Genova My pleasure, Simonetta! And, yes, a visit to the town of Randazzo in Sicily is on the family’s bucket list, for sure.
Isn't it hard for kids to see the board?
Sarah Robert A great question, Sarah! Happily, this hasn't been an issue in my room because the desk seat-bases are large enough for students to swivel their bodies and still have a solid writing surface. I would, of course, give preferential seating to any students who have neck or vision issues.
So glad you took the time to watch this. Thanks!
:) Laura
There’s a teacher I know who literally faces students against the wall with her seating chart!
Thanks for this insightful video! I'm an Aussie teacher and also have a teaching channel too if you're interested in checking it out :)
Hi
Where are your printables, etc.? So much talk, talk, talk.... I need some handouts to use and printed material in that I am a visual learner. I'm disappointed.
Ah, sorry to disappoint, Theresa. I don't have any printables for my seating chart. A world of printables can be found here: www.teacherspayteachers.com I'm hopeful a fellow teacher-author over there will have something that'll work for you. Happy planning!
Layout looks like a factory. I don't like it.👎👎👎👎
Rikki Sjoeberg Fair enough, Rikki. And with 34 kids packed in each class, it honestly feels like a factory sometimes. How would you set up the layout? Would love to see a video with your ideas/solution!