Strategic Seating Charts

Strategic Seating Charts

The classroom seating plan is one of the most overlooked items in a teacher’s behaviour management toolkit. Assigned seating promotes lesson efficiency and student engagement.  

At the start of each day, the teacher strategically assigns seating by considering both the academic and behavioural needs of each student. Foundational practices of strategic seating include the following: 

• Students who are easily distracted are placed in close proximity the teacher.  
• Students who consistently remain focused or demonstrate higher levels of work ethic are placed further away from the teacher. 
• Students who easily distract each other are seated at a distance from each other.

Different classrooms have varying needs, and the social dynamics of a class change over time. What worked last term or last week may no longer be effective. Teachers consistently observe student behaviour and track academic performance to ensure that their daily seating decisions support the needs of all learners.