What's Your Classroom Inviting Students to Do? 4 Configurations to Consider.

When I was pursuing my Masters degree in education back in the 90s, we spent time figuring out how to best set up a classroom. Traditional rows were out.  Pods of four were in. But there were many other options too: the circle, the horseshoe, desks on the perimeter of the room.

Teachers were thinking about what would suit their teaching style and foster the best learning.

• Would your classroom be set up for group collaboration?
• Would your classroom be traditional, with students in rows, ready to consume information and work on projects individually?  
• Would you have a horseshoe designed for group discussion?

Whatever you decided, the clunky, heavy, built-to-last furniture was inflexible and would likely stay put for the year. Some of the more eager teachers might consider moving around furniture from time to time, but the work involved usually meant the furniture stayed put most of the time. The limited mobility not only hampers interaction among students, instructors and content but the static environment actually became a barrier to learning.  

Traditional classroom furniture setup.

Fast forward a couple decades and we’re no longer so constrained.

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