During the first week of school I like to greet each of my 36 classes outside my classroom door with these laminated pieces of construction paper. The students each get a piece of paper and match it to a coordinating sheet on the tables in my room. This is totally random and the kids love it!
The kids don't look at it like it's "assigning" seats, although this is their spot for the entire year. I'm sure I could do it every quarter just to mix things up, but it's been working fine, so I'll just leave it as is! This way, I don't look like the bad guy by placing them in boy/girl order or with someone they don't get along with...it's all just LUCK! Do you assign seats in Art? Do you switch it up mid-year? Hope you all are having a great first few days of school (if you've already started!)
LOVE this idea... my kids always want to chose their own seats. If I did colors I could control the table they are on and they will be able to "choose" their spot. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI give each child a number from 1-6 as they come in my room for the first time, and they find the matching table number - pretty much the same concept as you. Then I write their table number on my class list to help me remember. I dont mind if they switch seats as long as they stay at the same table, and as long as there's no arguing about it.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally I have to separate a few people, and I usually do a little switcheroo in January so that some quiet kid who has been having to deal with a blabbermouth can get a break.
My rule is 2 boys and 2 girls, at each table! But I tell them that I have the final word, if changes need to be made!
ReplyDeleteI like your method! I do actually give each student assigned tables. I need to be able to seat some students closer to me for various reasons. I try to blend personalities, put someone who needs a friend with some kind, caring kids, some have to be in front because of IEP modifications and some just need to be where I can see what they are doing! I do let them pick their seat at the table. I do move students around to different groups if necessary. If I am getting a new group of students I do not know, for example, incoming Kinders, I will randomly put them at tables and move them around as I get to know them if the"mix" at the table is not working out.
ReplyDeleteI always liked to switch it up, so in my younger grades, I handed out colored pop sticks at the door as they entered EACH TIME, and they found the table with the matching spot in the center. That way, I could manage who sits where, and with who, for different types of activities, or the number of kids at a table depending on the activity. They get excited to see where they are going to sit. With the older grades, depending on the behavior, I had tables assigned, so maybe one 6th grade class had assigned seats and the next did not. I do like them to be able to make their own choices a bit. But no moving seats - if there's 5 chairs at a table, a 6th kid can not move a chair to sit there.
ReplyDeleteI started last year exactly like Phyl did, for the first couple of weeks. I teach middle school, so that gave me a good idea of personalities and needs. Some classes absolutely needed assigned seats while others did a good job of selecting their own tables. When I do need to assign seats, I will change it up when I see a need, about two or three times a year.
ReplyDeleteI do the random seats on the first day to get a feel for the kids and the meshing personalities. Then the next time they come I have an assigned seat for them.
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