desk arrangement

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desk arrangement
By BetsyC

I have started four years of school with my desks in groups. Others I have taught with have felt the same as your friend, so I think it is a personal choice. I always establish routine on Day 1 as far as sitting in groups.
Our rule is that when I am talking you must turn to look at me no matter where I am in the room. If I am teaching at the board or overhead, students can bring their work on their clipboards to the floor if they can't see well enough from their desks. Their are times of course when it is not ideal for the children to turn and face me. For example, if we are reading aloud sentences

from our English books. We also discuss the talking issue. I repeatedly remind students that if someone talks to them they should most definitely ignore that person. If the problem persists they can come to me. My students will turn cards (behavior system I used last year) when they break any of the rules I named above. I generally do not have any severe or lasting problems by beginning the year with my students in groups. Just remember that you set the tone for their behavior. Also remember that IF they just simply can't handle sitting in groups you can rearrange the desks.