Classroom Spatial Analysis I think that the spatial arrangement of a classroom can affect how the class functions

and what the atmosphere is like. In my first week at my placement, the desks were arranged in a straight row format; everyone faced forward in aligned rows. The desks are large, with two people being able to sit at one set of desks. About the third week I was there, our cooperating teacher had moved the desks just slightly, so that the rows with more desks farther from her desk were slanted slightly to face the Promethean board and her desk more (as displayed in the drawing below). She said she did this to mix things up slightly and so that the students could better see the board when doing activities. With the desks this way, it gives the all the students once consistent point of focus. I think it makes everyone feel more included because there is not a seat that is very distant from the others. For our cooperating teacher, it allows her to better see all the students and what they are doing at their desks. Like I mentioned earlier, it also directs their focus to her, since they are all slanted in her direction. All of the desks in the rows are touching so that both helps and hinders. It allows students to interact with other students easily when doing cooperative work. However, that easiness to interact when doing work also makes it easy for students to interact when not doing work. Being so close together, the students are often talking while the teacher is talking and one silly comment from one student can be heard and readily passed along to all students in the classroom. I think it makes discipline easier than when the rows were not slanted. When my cooperating teacher is the focus, it also makes it easier for her to see which students are being disruptive. The space is not utilized as much as it could, I believe. This is partly due to the fact that the classroom is relatively small and the desks take up a majority of the space, with little extra space to work with. However, our cooperating teacher does not walk around the room while she is teaching; instead she tends to stand at her podium and talk from there. She often has the students do activities on their own towards the end of class and at that time, she walks around checking up on the students. The atmosphere in the classroom is very focused on the teacher, especially now that the desks are slanted towards her desk and the podium where she teaches from. It sets up a clear idea of who is in charge in the classroom.

Promethean Board

Teachers Desk Podium

Door