This year, I decided to start my seating arrangement in pods to hopefully create a more conducive environment for learning. In my class, I utilize a lot of pair share, quick group formative assessments, and projects. With correct parameters, I feel this setup has gone extremely well so far.
This is for my 9th grade classes. I was hesitant (and only did pods half time last year) because I also have 2 sections of 8th graders. I was not quite sure if the 8th graders could handle sitting in pods.
However, I really focused on expectations in regards to the seating arrangments, and so far they are going quite well. It is also making my classroom activities more fluid for quick discussions, sharing ideas, etc.
Cool. Do you find this is helping you to facilitate the higher order thinking and learning skills you're focusing on this year? If you think pods won't work for 8th grade, have you thought about partner desks (pairs)?
ReplyDeleteI believe the Pod seating arrangments definitely make activities easier to conduct, and are more efficient. So far, the 8th graders have done well with the pods, I just made sure proper parameters were instituted early on and were followed.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder about attention with notes/video clips, etc. since some students' backs are almost to the board in the pod arrangement....
As mentioned previously, this seating arrangment (pods) makes it much easier for analyitical processes to develop amongst my students. It is also easy to group students to enhance C and D level activities. I do move the desks into rows for tests, quizzes, or a video, but I feel as class discussions are enhanced with the pod seating arrangment as well.
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