Assigned Seats ?
As a new instructor, I have come a long way in maintaining control of my classroom overall. I do have an occassional issue with a talkative student (one in particular), and I can't decide if I should break down and assign seats?
I am in agreement with the individual who indicated that assigned seating is somewhat high school in nature. I feel that the students need to be responsible and own up to their problems.
Otherwise, they need to face the consequences of their actions.
S. Craig
Unfortunately I did have a bad problem of 2 students consistently talking to other students during my lecture. I finally moved them both to the front row and the problem stopped. I hated to act as if we were in high school. But it worked.
I don't assign seat but I let the students pick where they sit. But I do ask them to not change after they start the first day. I do mark where students are because it helps me learn their names. And since we are creatures of habit most agree to this.
I have had challenges with chatty students in the past - and I found that changing the way the tables in the room are physically located will encourage them to sit in a different area. If moving the room around isn't an option, you may want to think about utilizing a rotating seating chart.
I have talked to my classes about the importance of respect, and saving their comments until the end of class, or on break. Sometimes the student who is talkative doesn't even realize that he or she is being a distraction to the rest of the students.
Yes..rotating rows does help. Another thing that seems to help is randoming assigning groups to work on projects etc. That way..cliques/friends/students who are alike learners are usually separated and when the dynamics change..many times the attitudes change. We do alot of project work and picking names out of hat randomizes it and therefore the students can't blame favoritism etc. for the way things shake out.
I believe at the college level assigned seating can be insulting. One thing I am known for by my students, is the ability to maintain control of my class (might be that military and football coach thing, smile). But its not always about being aggressive. Setting a clear presidence in the beginning is really important. I found that letting students work in small groups can create a hidden seating chart, but rotating personnel in those groups for different assignments, helps to deter the development of cliques.
I generally don't do that. I'll pull the offending students aside on a break and talk to them like adults. I think assigned seats can insult some students.
My courses are 6 weeks long. Every 6 weeks I have a new seating chart. It works for me. I make sure that a new student is seated next to an existing student. When knowing an existing student is talkative, I seat them next to a quite student. Again this work well. Believe it or not just because they are considered adults, some still act like they are in highschool
i really liked the suggetion in the reading of rotating rows of the seats - the 'groups' are pretty much maitained, but there is a little shift onee in a while. & you're not really 'assigning' seats, which is sort of controlling/high school-ish. By rotating, too, I think it might freshen up the class a bit. If I experience the problem, I will try rotating the rows on a weekly basis.
My personal thought is that assigning seats is very high school in nature. I think that students feel like they cannot maintain any form of control. Rather, finding other ways to engage that student by maybe giving them a role in class (handing out papers etc), can help get that person away from chatting. At the very worst, talking to the student about their behavior or if it continues, having them leave class.
