Musings on Seating Charts

To mark the inaugural post of this blog investigating the classroom environment in Mr. Tree's 10th grade World Studies classroom, I will discuss the use of and problems surrounding seating charts in the room. We have investigated the effects of social groups on the learning environment in this classroom, and how individual personalities create and react to this environment.

To give further background on the class and school situation, this class occurs first and second hour at a school outside of Lansing. The class combines the required World History and English 10 classes that sophomores have to take. The same students are with Mr. Tree for the first two hours of the day, generally spending the first hour on history and the second on English. The two are often linked thematically or by time and place. Though in a rural to suburban area, the high school is a school of choice for students in Lansing. This creates an environment in which students who differ socioeconomically and often racially are mixed together at the high school level.

Along with the personal differences that mark any classroom environment, this racial divide asserts itself as a major dividing force in Mr. Tree's class. Mr. Tree is an extremely laid back teacher. He allows students to do much of what they please while in class, so long as they are not being highly disruptive. This is an avowed philosophy. "I don't allow it to become a power struggle," said Mr. Tree. "I'll hear other teachers saying certain kids are giving them a terrible time and I think 'really? I've never had a problem with that student.'"

Now back to the topic of seating charts. In the beginning of the year, Mr. Tree gave a seating chart to his World Studies class. They did not always follow it, and in keeping with his philosophy, he did not force them to. This had worked for him before and worked in other hours this year. In a third hour class I recently observed, students generally did sit where they chose, but the classroom environment, though somewhat talkative, was positive and respectful. In World Studies, however, it can often turn to competing voices and disengaged students. Throughout the year, this problem has worsened.

About halfway through the second trimester, Mr. Tree sought to address this. He gave the class a new seating chart, displayed on the projector as they walked in. Most students followed it, but even on the first day, a number of students had traded places with one another. Mr. Tree brought this up and made some students move. Shortly after, they had traded again.

Later, Mr. Tree grew annoyed with this continued situation. During a particularly loud day, he became irritated with the class and got the class's attention and remonstrated them for talking. He reminded them that they have not been sitting in the correct seats. He then returned to the day's topic without making them move back to their given seats or telling them that they would have to tomorrow. And they did not.

The amount of time these students spend together, and their ability to cloister themselves, have allowed cliques to develop. Often these cliques form on the lines of race and social group. Gender seems not to be a significant factor, but the most vociferous cliques are mostly male. Today, the way in which the students generally sit consists of four cliques of 3-4 students, while a number of groups of two friends who sit near other exist as well. There is mixing between some groups who sit near each other, but not all.

In this case, the lack of a followed seating chart has brought ill to the class, but not having a seating chart has its merits as well. Not subjecting students to a chart can make them feel more comfortable in class, as well as create a more relaxed atmosphere. Additionally, power struggles can be avoided. In this class, they often are. But at what cost?