Let's start this!
This past week, I created my third round of seating charts for my students. As I was reviewing the lists of names, I begin to think about how my last arrangement of students succeeded and, yet, failed. In my English classroom, my mentor teacher and I have six long tables and two round tables. Across the day, we will teach classes between 22 and 36 students in size. Because we must prepare for the largest class, our room does not accommodate very many arrangements of tables.
Now, maybe I'm alone, but I feel as though when I am creating a seating chart I am actually playing a game of Battleship.
My opponent: the students.
My objective: to place students in such an array that maximum learning will occur.
Worst possible scenario: the students expose my weaknesses and sink all chances of productive teaching.
Sometimes, I spend up to 30 minutes thinking about where to place 30 students in my class. I immediately separate the talking pairs and trios, but as soon as I write their names down on paper, I question whether I have placed them far enough part. The "good" kids I can place
almost anywhere because I know they will remain focused regardless of their surroundings. The talkers, however, are probably the most worrisome crowd. Should I set them right next to my desk? Should I place them in the front of the room where I will do a majority of my teaching? Should I distribute them around the room? These are the questions that continuously bounce around in my head as I think about creating the perfect seating chart.As a new semester approaches, I wish you all good luck in creating the best seating charts. Don't let your students sink your battleship!
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Image Citation:
Doughtie, J. (2007 January 27). Playing Battleship. Jilldoughtie's Photostream. Retrieved on January 24, 2007, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jillslivingroom/371556337/
1 comment:
Ha, Kevin. I like your battleship metaphor. I've been having fun with arranging small groups lately, trying to pair students to work well together in writing workshops and experimenting. We have a seating chart for the sake of substitutes, but we move our students all the time -- depending on their moods, the weather, who broke up with who, etc. -- as soon as i write a seating chart down, we change it again, ha. luckily, i'm adapting well to students constantly moving! have a good weekend!
ooh, and i'm keeping up with my 504 blog, so link that and i'll put your links on my page, too. good luck with this project.
xo
lf
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