Help! THAT Class won’t Stop Talking!

Joanne Stockstrom
Jul 25, 2017 · 7 min read
classroom chaos

Although the picture above may be a bit extreme, we have all had THAT class that just won’t stop talking! Using best practices, as teachers we know the “Cs” are important for learning: collaboration, communication, curiosity, confidence, and capable. All of these practices and experiences are keys to learning, but they present another “C” — challenge to classroom management.

Collaboration

A myriad of professional development training focuses on collaboration. We know that in the real world, few of us operate independently in our professional position. Conducting brainstorming sessions, speaking and listening to others, and questioning all lead to more productivity and learning for all. As much as a classroom teacher is autonomous, trying to implement best practices for learning and teaching is difficult to do alone. Think about trying to teach your class without having the opportunity to collaborate with any colleagues or resources. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it? Collaboration is key to success.

Time after time, we are presented with the idea of ways to help students learn about collaboration. Problem-based learning and inquiry are at the top of the list for collaborative practices. We put students into small groups, present a problem or task, and ask them to work together to figure it out. This is real-world learning at its best. Just as I referenced in the above paragraph, adults are required to do this in some fashion in their professional lives whether they are in the field of education, business, medicine, or any other industry. Even social media and Internet businesses require collaboration with others. You may be sitting alone in front of your computer, but if you are engaging with this writing, you are collaborating with me. Few jobs are done in isolation. It is essential that we teach our students how to collaborate and communicate in order to be successful and life-long learners.

One of the first steps to creating a collaborative atmosphere in a classroom involves the seating arrangement. Nearly every professional development that I have attended starts off with putting the kids in pods or placing them at tables. The group is all set to work together with a space that is set up for idea sharing and problem-solving. Sounds ideal, right? We present a task or problem and expect them to collaborate appropriately. They’re all set up for it. Why isn’t it working?

Collaboration Complication

I teach middle school, but the complications of a pod or table arrangement are similar at other grade levels. First, there is the challenge of getting them to stop talking and pay attention to the instruction or be engaged with a bell ringer. Not only do they have the other two to four members at their own table, they can lean left, right, or backwards and find numerous others that are willing to talk and be off task. I have a large classroom, and I can’t even get them far enough apart to separate the pods in a position that prevents this problem. Many other classrooms are much smaller and find it an insurmountable issue. I know that you have thought at one time or another, “I can’t get them far enough apart!” There in lies one problem for the teacher. You know it is important for them to be able to collaborate easily, yet the small group seating arrangement can be challenging with the excessive side talk.

In addition, the pod arrangement breeds other distractions. The students are facing one another with a desk or table in-between them. That creates the perfect place to sneak a cell phone, pass notes, or participate in other distractions. Only the students at that table know what is going on because the teacher cannot easily see what is happening in the middle of that pod. Plus, there are the other five, six or more pods engaging with one another at the same time.

With some classes, you may even feel as if they don’t realize that you are there at the front of the room trying to get their attention. Uh, hello? I’m over here! Bell ringers and practiced procedures are terrific tools to get students on task, but sometimes that pod arrangement is working against you instead of for you.

A Creative Seating Solution

This past year, I had one of the most difficult groups of students that I have ever had as a teacher. One factor was the fact that it is an unusually large group of kids. I tried pods. I tried rows. I tried partners. I tried a modified U shape. I tried small pods. I tried large pods. I tried and tried to no avail. Then, I came up with a new idea that I had never tried before in my 11 years of teaching.

I moved the desks to create the largest possible U shape in the classroom. Then, I placed the chairs on the inside of the U. Yes, the inside facing out at the wall. To this day, I’m not sure which reaction I enjoyed the most: my students or my assistant principal/evaluator.

Each group of students that entered that day reacted similarly. Their jaws dropped as they wandered aimlessly around the room. Questions came pouring out of their mouths. “What? Really? You have us facing the wall?” along with “Are you kidding me?” Knowing to look at the front screen to locate their own seat, they began to figure out their new spots in the room. Some of them started to pick up the chair and move it to the outside of the U so that they would be facing the front. After all, that’s where teachers teach, right? I directed them to put it back on the inside. More questions and stunned faces.

My assistant principal came in for our usual team meeting time. Her spine snapped upright as she perused the setup with eyes as wide as saucers. To her credit, she inquired calmly with, “So, you have them facing the wall?”

Those reactions were exactly what I was looking for with my unconventional seating arrangement. Nothing appeared conducive to learning and certainly not to collaboration. However, the new setup worked just as I envisioned it. It required some procedure training and practice, but the results were totally worth it.

When students enter the room, they go their desk and immediately turn the chair around to face the inside of the circle. creates the perfect setup to see and address my bell ringer. Students face front with their notebook on their lap for any writing they need to do. There is no opportunity to be off task as they are completely exposed with no desk to hide behind.

Another benefit is to all students facing to the inside is the natural transition into a circle type formation for whole group discussion. All members of the group feel on an equal plane and have equal opportunity for having a voice in the room. I usually sit at the same level and the atmosphere is collaborative in nature. Sometimes, we even bring the circle in a bit to be closer.

The greatest benefit that I found with this seating arrangement is its flexibility. In a matter of moments, we can rearrange into any formation for an activity. I can divide the wide open space in the middle into half. Perfect space for students to move to make a choice and join one side or another. Four corners are easily created in a similar manner. Time for team building? The large open space gives plenty of room for it. Small groups? Kids easily move around using the room to create their own space for their group. They may gather on the floor or pick a section of desks to do their group work. Regrouping? The open space helps it go more quickly and smoothly.

Finally, the seating arrangement is ideal for independent work time. Students return to their desks and sit facing the wall. No distractions to prevent them from working. If they want to shout at their buddy across the room, they have to physically turn around and then they are obviously off task. Plus, I can walk around either behind them, looking over their shoulder or I can cruise around the front of their desks. If space allows, that is my favorite because then I can see their faces and have an individual conversation with them. It has proven to keep their talking to a minimum since they only can really talk to the person on either side of them. Less chatting creates more learning.

When I first set my desks up this way, I told the students that I had never tried it before and to please bear with me during my experiment. After a while, I got comments from students telling me how much they liked it. Many of them found it easier to focus on the lesson and loved the openness for its flexibility. My assistant principal was pleasantly surprised when I told her how well it was working. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before!

I plan on continuing this seating arrangement for this school year. I am looping with this large group and will have some of the same students. Some will know what is going on when they see the room. It will be fun to watch new reactions of students that I haven’t had before. There are certainly many other effective seating arrangements and each teacher needs to discover what works best for both students and teacher. I encourage you to give this one a try.

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