@ Let's talk school classroom setups

[downtoearth]

So I know this is all anecdotal, but a lot of us have elementary and middle school kids and I'd like to know how your classrooms and programs are set up all over. This was spurred by the question on major's DD, b/c our classrooms aren't "typical" of how I remember in elementary with rows of desks and a teacher at the front. 

Our (traditional, public) elementary has groups or tables of kids (usually 4 per table/group of desks) all facing each other and in little areas. They don't all face a blackboard and there are reading areas on the sides and work stations along a low counter on the walls in most rooms. There is usually a table or rug area up front where the kids can gather for small group lessons. The kids don't all do the same thing at once all day and are often doing many different activities. For example one reading group will be up front at a table (for older kids) or on the floor/rug (for younger kids) doing a lesson and the other kids will be doing independent work or worksheets or a science station or even computer reading/math games.  Then they switch and such.  It's pretty dynamic and kids move quite a bit during the day to different areas and projects.  This is pretty typical from seeing two other elementary schools during a school tour thing, but I'm not sure how middle school classrooms are setup.

We were in a Montessori public elementary charter in another school previously and so that was even more individualized.  There were group rug/desk areas in the middle of the classroom and then "work" all around and the kids directed their own activities.  They had notebooks where they kept track of their progress on the "works" and then the teachers would float around and help in small groups or individually.  They were only doing group activities like two times per day together in the middle of the classroom.

[litebright]

Ours is very similar for both DD1 in second grade and DD2 in first grade.

DD1's class has desks that are "theirs," though, in small groups of 6-8, and they keep their supplies and folders in there. They got to pick their own seats. DD2's kindergarten class has tables (supplies are kept in cubbies and brought to the table) and several times throughout the year, they get rearranged at different tables/with different groups.

[2curlydogs]

My kid's in K4, so....

There are no desks, per se. There's a reading center, a home living center, a digital media center (2 PCs and iPads), a sciences center, etc. There's one half-moon table and one small desk/table for coloring. Cubbies line a wall. There are bathrooms and a bubbler in the room, so they always have access to toilet and drinking facilities. There's also an exterior door that leads directly to the playground. His room this year only has 9 kids (there's another pre-school/K4 room). Last year was 12.

My sister teaches 4th grade at the same school. Desks are either circular or set together in a group of 4 facing the other students, iirc. They also have a digital media area in the room (4 computers) and other sections. Average class size is 17. Max is 21.

The school itself is a non-traditional layout. It's 4 different circular pods attached via curving hallways with an oblong pod that serves as the library. One circle is administrative, one is the high school, one is the middle school, and one is primary school. 

[theoriginalbean]

Our montessori setup was the same. We just moved out of state and C is now attending a public school, which has a similar sounding layout with clustered desks and work groupings.

[eclaires]

Ours is set up the same as the OP. 3rd grade; it's been the same most years, I think.

Scarlett's preK set up is tables of four but also similar. Jackson's is desks grouped together.

[cap]

In my son's K and 1st grade classrooms, desks were placed in groups of 4-6. I know that in 1st grade, he was at his desk some of the day, but also moved to other desks throughout the classroom, depending on what they were doing. I know the kids rotate around the room during center work.

I know that sitting in a group like that is a BIG reason he talks so much. He loves, loves, loves to talk, and if you're sitting with someone right across or right next to you like that, it has to be hard to not talk. I know it would be for me (the apple does not fall far, apparently).

[Alyssa]

My daughter is in public school and in her kindergarten classroom there are four tables that can fit around 6-7 kids.

[KB]

Our set up is the same as the OP. Small clusters of desks and different working stations around the room.

[oscarnerdjulief]

I teach seventh grade.

Until I really get a sense of the kids, I have rows, but they are out of their seats in small groups working on 1 or 2 activities every day. When I feel more comfortable and understand personalities and who definitely can and can't sit with whom, I am moving my desks into pods of four. It makes it easier for me to move among my class, but I am kinda dreading it because classroom management is my weakness, and even the littlest change can blow up the whole thing.

The trick is to throw them a bone by having one friend of each kid in the pod, but not be the fool who puts all the ornery boys together.

I have a table area for kids who need extra help or need to make up work.  There's also a table in the front of the room that I could utilize if I moved trays and containers.

[terpsfan]

My kid just started 2nd grade. Her desk moves around in clusters, rows, etc. up until last year the classrooms were only separated by wall-like structures vs real walls. The county received funding to construct real walls and glass walls to form physical separation (prompted by security) but I cannot imagine concentrating when you can hear the class next "door". There are still some classrooms that have more like a bookcase wall and no door (so one gig classroom divided into 2) and it's loud!

ETA- I think the open concept was called "pods"

[joenali]

I teach 2nd. I have 6 table groups of 4, set up that way for partnership work and then small group work. I have a classroom library, a calming area, word wall, doc camera, screen, writing supply area (paper, pencils, etc).

[2curlydogs]

PDQ

poof

[gardengal]

Having table vs desks was my experience w lower grades at a "shitty"* public elementary school in the 80s

And it's how my son's K classroom is set uptoo
*def not in the nice area of town

[mominatrix]

At my kids school, the setups seem to be controlled by the teachers.

The rooms are huge for an elementary school as the building originally housed a middle school. Most of the rooms have tables of 4 to 6 students, plus side areas for, say, reading or light tables, etc.

Some of the teachers have chosen to take over science lab rooms, so they have their kids sitting at the lab tables.

But there are differences... Some have no table and chair setup at all... One teacher (4th grade) instead has a bunch of sofas for the kids to sit on for reading and instruction time...

[joenali]

Aug 27, 2015 16:14:51 GMT -5 gardengal said:

Having table vs desks was my experience w lower grades at a "shitty"* public elementary school in the 80s

And it's how my son's K classroom is set uptoo
*def not in the nice area of town

I have bern fighting to get tables in my room for years. I have desks and I hate them!

[darthnbjenni]

8th grade history - pics from last year. I had them separated for state testing. I normally have them in groups of 4 facing the front, and let them switch in to collaborate. 

[katfco]

This is my classroom set up: 


When they all come, I expect to have 30 kids, and we switch between two rooms, so I have file boxes for their language arts and social studies folders. I set it up this way partly for ease of movement and also because I encourage communal learning from time to time. 

My goal is to work up to being able to do centers, so kids can work at different levels and to enable me to meet with students in small groups or individually. I hope maybe by Christmas to have them listening well enough to do that. 

[redheadk]

I taught 5th Science and had groups of 4 or 5. It makes tons of sense for science as students work cooperatively quite a bit and that is difficult to do in rows.

[joenali]

This is my disaster of a room as of today. It's getting there

[taratru]

I was lucky enough in my teaching to have round tables, which sat 4-5 students in chairs. They were AMAZING for group discussions and work.

DD3 is in Montessori, so a traditional setup for that type of school. DD2 just started middle and her classrooms were all a little different. Science had lab tables in groups of 4 students, math had desks in pairs, social studies and English were desks that they move around, computers in lab, music/orchestra in chairs on risers (pretty classic setup). DD1 is in my school and every teacher does their own thing. Only one of them has kids in desks in traditional rows. That's quickly becoming out of the norm.

[erbear]

Kid 1 is in 1st grade. Her classroom has a rug where they play, read, whole group instruction and have morning circle, three tables that seat 6-10 kids for writing, and tons of play spaces (a kitchen, a workbench, an art center, etc.) around the room.

Kid 2 is in Pre-K. Her classroom has a rug, a bunch of play stations, and 3 round tables where they color, do art, and eat lunch.

My classroom (7th and 8th grade) has trapezoid tables that each seat two kids. I move them constantly depending on what we're doing, but their typical formations are either a circle, 4 small groups of 4 kids each, or one large table. Or pushed up against the wall with kids on the floor

In my school, I'd say only the math classrooms are still traditional, one student per desk, rows facing the front (and even they frequently pair up kids). Everyone else's room looks like mine (though they don't move as often. Lazy bums.) The science rooms have groups of tables and lab set-ups.

ETA: I found this. This is pretty typical

[tres3]

Growing up we had our desk pushed into tables with 4-5 kids in each group. My kids classrooms are the same.

Around 5/6th grade we started getting rows. In 6th grade we had rows and also 4 science lab tables in our classroom (our school was the old high school). We used the lab tables a lot.

[ttt]

Aug 28, 2015 6:41:35 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

I assume whichever setup is the most conducive to dream-killing is the best one.

I'm pretty sure my local elementary seats kids in cubicles so they can work on their TPS reports. 

[irishbride2]

DD's K class has little desks in groups of 4 but they don't spend much time there. They have a huge open space in the middle, as well as a loft, a "maker" area, a reading area, and an art area. They go to other classrooms for music, formal art, PE, and Spanish.

My 8th grade class has desks in groups as well. I mix up the set up, though, because different kids work better in different set ups. Some can not handle facing away from the board. Right now I have Two groups of six (one on each side of the room) and then two rows of three in the middle for kids who prefer to face forward. They are still grouped, though. The 2 rows of 3 make another group of 6 that work together during group work. I also have a comfy area for them to sit on the floor as well as two station areas around the room.

[SpartanGirl]

My youngest is in preschool. No desks. They have art tables and building tables, but when they do group time they sit on a carpet.

For my elementary kids it has varied. Kindergarten had work tables that the kids rotated through in small groups for centers (snack, reading, math, writing, etc). They didn't have assigned desks and did group time on the carpet.

After Kindergarten, I've found that teachers switch it up. My kids have had rows of single desks, desks arranged into a giant U shape facing the smart board, groups of 4, etc. My daughter's teachers have switched back and forth between all of these models during the school year.

[sangria]

Aug 28, 2015 7:35:28 GMT -5 ttt said:

Aug 28, 2015 6:41:35 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

I assume whichever setup is the most conducive to dream-killing is the best one.

I'm pretty sure my local elementary seats kids in cubicles so they can work on their TPS reports. 

This just needed to be quoted because it's fucking hilarious.