Placing Your Desk

some things that can help student seating placement with desk placement :
1. Placing your desk in the back of the classroom and provides workspace for you while
allowing you to keep an eye on your students. Students can talk with you without
being observed by others.
2. Placing your desk in the front of the classroom and allows you to see most areas of the
classroom and monitor students at work. It does not, however, allow for private conferences
with individual students.
3. Placing your desk in the center of the student seating arrangement promotes a teacher-
facilitated environment. Students have easy access to your desk, but private conversations are
not possible.
4. Placing your desk off to the side of the classroom sends a message that
your desk is your personal workspace. Private conversations are possible in this arrangement.
Even more important than the placement of your desk is how your desk looks—
not just on that first day of school but every single day. A neatly arranged desk
with interesting objects, such as a plant, a pencil holder, or a family picture, sends
a clear message to students that you value neatness and order and that you are
willing to share some personal aspects of your life. A disorderly desk piled high
with books, papers, and other “stuff” sends a clear message that you are not well
organized and may not hold students accountable for neatness in their work.
Now let’s turn our attention to arranging other key areas in your classroom.

Small Group Meeting Area

In middle and high school classrooms, students work independently in small
group settings to complete projects and presentations. The key to successful group
work is to provide
• Focused instruction on how to work with a small group.
• Clear directions for the task or project.
• Accessible materials.
• A timeline for completing the work.
• Information on how the group’s work is evaluated
In elementary school classrooms, teachers meet with small groups for direct
instruction, particularly in reading. Group area should be located away from learning
and interest centers and the seating area. However, teachers should have a direct
line of sight to all areas of the room from the small-group meeting space.
In later years, small-group work moves toward having students assume more responsibility for
working with classmates without direct teacher intervention. This necessitates teaching students what
skills are appropriate for working in groups as well as how to rearrange the classroom by turning
desks together or grouping tables and chairs.