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Teaching Secrets: Arranging Optimal Classroom Seating

By August (Sandy) Merz III

In a recent article , I shared some ideas about how seating challenges can reveal useful data about class chemistry and individual students during the first week of school. But what next? How can we use what we learn about our students to arrange optimal permanent seating?

Few would argue that the best seating arrangements balance individual student needs with classroom community needs. Most teachers are mindful that finding each student's peak location depends on his or her personality, learning style, ability, needs, and behavior. We also consider class chemistry, friendships, and cliques in deciding seating.

But I haven't heard many teachers talk systematically about how we use the physical characteristics of the room—combined with our communication patterns—to...