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Students should be allowed to choose their own seating in class

Students+should+be+allowed+to+choose+their+own+seating+in+class

The three most dreadful words a teacher can say are “Pop quiz today!”

A close second is “New seats today!” Following this declaration, a tangible sense of suspense hangs in the air as your teacher calls out the names from the new seating chart. You pray to get seated next to your one friend in that class, but instead are met with an audible groan from the person you are about to sit next to because they just found out that you’re their desk partner for the next six weeks.

In order to avoid situations like these and enhance student education, Paly teachers need to stop assigning seats and instead let students pick where they want to sit. Already, some teachers let students choose, but in other classes, seats are assigned and changed once a quarter or before every new unit.

For example, Advanced Placements (AP) Chemistry and Physics teacher Ashwini Avadhani lets students pick seats. She said students are old enough to make their own decisions, and thus trusts them to choose their seats and lab partners.

“If the overarching goal is for the kids to feel safe in your class and feel that their opinion matters, allowing them to pick their own seats is one of easiest things a teacher can do to respect their choices.”

“If you’re going to sit next to somebody and waste time, they need to learn responsibility by this age,” Avadhani said. “If they make a wrong decision, they end up getting a bad grade.”

In the time she has let her students pick their seats, Avadhani said she has seen growth in responsibility in students, as well as students who are more engaged in class.

“I’ve always seen that if [students] feel they are getting distracted, many times they get up and move,” Avadhani said. “I find my classes happier, more receptive, and I have never had class management issues ever, because I let students pick their seats. “

Avadhani also advocates for identity safety, the concept that a student should feel safe in a class.

“You want to sit with somebody because you know that person, you’re very comfortable [with them] or you work better,” Avadhani said. “Whatever the reason, I completely believe in identity safety. There’s nothing wrong with people feeling good about sitting next to someone they are familiar with. If the overarching goal is for the kids to feel safe in your class and feel that their opinion matters, allowing them to pick their own seats is one of easiest things a teacher can do to respect their choices.”

Avadhani is not alone in her way of thinking. English 9A and Reading Between the Lines teacher Craig Bark also allows students to pick seats.

“By letting them choose where they want to sit, it enhances my relationship with them,” Bark said. “If they get a little bit of choice, they trust you and they work better when they know I trust them.”

According to Bark, showing that you trust a student and that they are going to have a say in how the class works encourages them to participate and be more attentive students.

A 2016 PBS article citing research conducted at Stanford and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows when students feel respected and trusted, they perform better. In some cases, even small acts of increased empathy and respect may reduce suspension rates. While reducing suspension rates is not the primary focus at Paly, imagine what the effect of simply allowing students to choose where they sit in the class can be.

For example, having more teachers display trust towards their students by letting them choose their seats may lead to a more positive social-emotional state.

Not only will students feel surrounded by trusted and emotionally closer peers, but they will believe their teachers trust and respect them and their opinions.

Although choosing seats has its advantages, some teachers refrain from letting students from doing so. French teacher Carla Guerard assigns seats in her classes because she likes to match students to create the ideal combination for learning.

“I like to have them help each other, so I have some strong students and some who might need more help sit together in groups of four,” Guerard said.

Teachers arguably have the students’ best interest in mind, but the evidence shows that it’s time to switch to a model of open seating because it benefits students more than a fixed seating chart does. At the same time, getting to choose seats is a privilege that students must recognize and value. Choosing seats is not a one-way ticket to total chaos in the classroom, but rather a tool to create a better learning environment while maintaining a level of control and decorum.

Allowing students to choose seats comes with a set of expectations that include not talking to your neighbors, being respectful and productive as well as being engaged learners. In addition, teachers will still have the power to move students who take advantage of this privilege.

But by giving them a chance to pick their seats and showing them that their teachers trust them, not only will we see better results, but we will also see more engaged, motivated and successful classrooms.

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  • A

    AnonymousNov 20, 2023 at 12:23 pm

    I think people should have assigned seat because they will work

    Reply
  • H

    haylieNov 17, 2023 at 6:57 am

    I love highlights.

    Reply
  • K

    karleighOct 18, 2023 at 6:44 am

    i personly done think this makes any sence

    Reply
  • J

    Ja MorantMay 4, 2023 at 12:45 pm

    This is great!

    Reply
  • B

    bgMay 3, 2023 at 10:06 am

    assigned seats are bad

    Reply
  • B

    BrooklynnApr 20, 2023 at 10:55 am

    Assigned seats are bogus.

    Reply
  • T

    TatumApr 20, 2023 at 10:51 am

    I think that the assigned seats are horrible and make absolutely no sense.

    Reply
  • D

    domMar 20, 2023 at 7:36 am

    hi

    Reply
  • T

    tioFeb 7, 2023 at 9:23 am

    Bro these npcs are crazy

    Reply
  • AnonymousFeb 1, 2023 at 5:11 pm

    I disagree with REESE because this opinion writing is going to convince my teacher!

    Reply
  • D

    dezz.nutsJun 8, 2022 at 2:34 pm

    ya i agree with reese

    Reply
  • J

    Joe .MNov 24, 2021 at 8:28 am

    Free seating would make the classes that stink have some hope.

    Reply
  • R

    raajveeOct 7, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    No I disagree I am a new student in the school and no one sits next to me even if I ask them they say that they are sitting next to another friend so I believe that teachers should decide where the students should sit I am telling you the truth from my experience

    Reply
    • M

      maci (better than u)Feb 3, 2023 at 6:31 am

      no lol

      Reply
  • R

    raajveeOct 7, 2021 at 4:41 pm

    No I disagree I am a new student in the school and no one sits next to me even if I ask them they say that they are sitting next to another friend so I believe that teachers should decide where the students should sit

    Reply
    • J

      jazOct 25, 2021 at 11:18 am

      your wrong because some students just want to sit with their friends than people they don’t know

      Reply
    • M

      MissKassandra_teachesFeb 8, 2022 at 3:55 pm

      students should be able to pick their own seats. They will be more confortable, make learning more enjoyable, and students will participate more. I allow my students to pick their own seats and have been allowing them for around 2 months now. I teach 6th graders. When I look at their own grades, their grades have gone up 78% since they have been allowed to. 🙂

      Reply
  • C

    candyJan 26, 2021 at 8:35 am

    I think REESE is right cause they might fail a class my taking!!!!!

    Reply
  • F

    ffOct 30, 2020 at 3:09 am

    ye

    Reply
  • N

    n/aMar 30, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    I am a student and end up respecting my teachers who allow me to sit were ever I want then the ones who assign.

    Reply
  • E

    evelynFeb 12, 2020 at 8:32 am

    chloe is correct you may sit a kid with bad hearing or sight

    Reply
  • N

    N/AFeb 10, 2020 at 10:13 am

    thanks Chloe your response helped write my school essay

    Reply
    • A

      antimoMar 10, 2022 at 10:10 am

      lol same

      Reply
  • C

    ChloeNov 22, 2019 at 8:44 am

    Students should be able to pick their own seating. If they are able to sit by friends they can feel more comfortable and will be more likely to talk and be part of class talks

    Reply
    • B

      bobMar 11, 2021 at 10:02 am

      ya

      Reply
    • C

      CalFeb 28, 2022 at 11:26 am

      Hi Chloe my friends name is una rubivits she is famous!

      Reply
    • K

      KaylaMar 25, 2022 at 12:26 pm

      I agree

      Reply
    • B

      BOBBYSep 12, 2022 at 12:04 pm

      I know right because of this I have to write big esae about this.

      Reply
  • T

    theweebeeNov 10, 2019 at 4:35 pm

    what aboout problems with learning like ADHD, hearing problems and such stuff

    Reply
  • R

    REESEMay 22, 2019 at 7:16 am

    I think they should not because they might talk a LOT!

    Reply
    • O

      oastySep 26, 2019 at 11:50 am

      I disagree R E E S E because I think your wrong

      Reply
      • J

        JackNov 18, 2019 at 7:54 am

        you’re right Oasty because Reese is wrong. Yeet!!

        Reply
        • T

          tioFeb 7, 2023 at 9:24 am

          bro still lives in 2017

          Reply
      • E

        EvgeniyaMay 13, 2022 at 5:48 am

        This isn’t a factual response. If you do disagree you have to argue your side with at least two paragraphs worth of correctly stated informational facts.

        Reply
        • H

          hiFeb 2, 2023 at 12:44 pm

          BE QUIET

          Reply
    • M

      mickJan 15, 2020 at 8:42 am

      no

      Reply
    • C

      CalFeb 28, 2022 at 11:23 am

      REESE you are boring and are a nerd because you don’t want to be with friends you just wanna be alone or with a strange classmate.

      Reply
    • C

      CalFeb 28, 2022 at 11:28 am

      Just kidding Reese I didn’t mean that.

      Reply
    • D

      domMar 20, 2023 at 7:38 am

      i agree

      Reply