The Classic Wanderer

Psychology Of Where You Sit In A Classroom?

• Sabrina Sarro
• 05.05.2023
• 0
• 16

Generally, the more motivated and interested a student is, the more likely he or she is to sit in the front row, says Ribich. That helps keep them motivated and engaged in the class work. ‘When you sit in the back of the classroom, you have a tendency to get distracted and watch other kids instead of the teacher.

Does it matter where you sit in class?

Natural Selection – Is it possible that the students who naturally excel and want to be more engaged are the ones who chose to sit in the front row? Perhaps the students who just want to get by sitting further back? Studies show that even when students are given a seat assignment, the students sitting in the front row still test better than those sitting behind them.

Where should you sit in the classroom and why?

If you sit outside the V you are less likely to be as attentive or as involved and thus you may not be the best student you are capable of being. The best place to sit is near the front center of the room.

Where should I sit in class to not be noticed?

Download Article Download Article You may have experienced the feeling of humiliation when your teacher asked you a hard question because they knew you weren’t listening. If you are nervous talking in front of your class or don’t always pay attention in class, you might want to try to avoid getting called on.

1. 1 Sit strategically. You want to try to sit in the teacher’s blind spot so they hopefully don’t notice you. Where you sit depends on the style of your classroom and your teacher. Try to sit in the edge of the classroom, out of the teacher’s main focus of vision.
   • You can try to sit next to someone who answers a lot of questions to hopefully blend in next to them.
2. 2 Look toward the front of the classroom. While the teacher is teaching, look toward them. Don’t look out the window, fidget, doodle, or text. At least look like you are paying attention to what they are saying. The teacher might find it disrespectful and think you are not paying attention if you seem distracted. Advertisement
3. 3 Have an appropriate balance of eye contact. When your teacher is scanning the room trying to decide who to call on, do not make direct eye contact with the teacher. However, don’t clearly avoid eye contact and definitely don’t look down. Look away for a second then look back at the teacher then look away again. Try to find a good balance between completely avoiding looking at your teacher and looking at them too much.
4. 4 Look confident. Even if you aren’t confident and have no idea what the answer to the question is, pretend you do. Sit up straight and don’t look worried or nervous. Don’t look eager to answer the question, but don’t look like you clearly were not paying attention either. The teacher will likely call on someone who either seems overly confident or nervous.

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1. 1 Look through your notes. When the teacher is scanning the room, looking for someone to call on, search through your notes. Make it look like you are trying to find the answer and that you remember writing it down. If the teacher sees you searching through your notes, they might not call on you because they know you are trying to find the right answer.
2. 2 Pretend to write down notes. You should write real notes too, but if you are trying to trick your teacher not to call on you, pretend to write more notes. If the teacher is scanning the room, start writing down notes as if you are writing down a few more points from what the teacher said. The teacher will think you are really concentrating and trying to understand all the points.
3. 3 Rifle through your bag. When the teacher is deciding who to call on start rifling through your backpack, binder, or pencil case like you are looking for something important. Your teacher will hopefully see that you are focused on needing something urgently and not want to interrupt you.
4. 4 Make a concentrated face. Look like you are really focused and trying to think of the answer when the teacher is calling on students. If you look like you are concentrating the teacher will assume you were paying attention, but don’t know the answer, so they won’t call on you.
   • You can also try making a really confused face like you don’t understand the question.
5. 5 Raise your hand when you do know the answer. When you do know the answer or the question is easy, raise your hand! That way when the question is hard the teacher won’t call on you because you already talked and participated.

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1. 1 Overcome speaking anxiety. If you want to avoid getting called on in class is because you are nervous to talk in front of other people, you might have a speaking anxiety, You can overcome this by being prepared for class and feeling confident and positive.
   • Start your answers strong and don’t mumble.
   • Practice speaking in front of smaller groups and then work your way up to talking in class.
2. 2 Pay attention in class. If you pay attention and concentrate, you will feel a lot more comfortable answering questions in class. When the teacher talks, actively listen and try to process what is being said. Take notes while the teacher talks and sit in the front of the class.
   • Don’t be on your phone during class. It will distract you and stop you from paying attention.
3. 3 Do your homework so you are prepared. If you come to class unprepared, you won’t know the answer to any questions. Do any homework assignments before class so you are prepared for any questions that the teacher might ask. If you feel confident, you won’t have to worry about avoiding the teacher and you will have a better experience in class.

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• Question What students do teachers choose to answer questions? Teachers might choose students who seem like they clearly know the answer and are eager to talk. They might also pick students who seem like they were not paying attention in class or distracted by something else. Sometimes teachers will choose students who rarely talk to get them to participate.
• Question What if you were not listening to the teacher and get called on? If you were not paying attention and then get called on, do your best to make an educated guess about the topic. You can also be honest and say, “I am sorry. I was not paying attention,” and then make sure to pay attention the rest of the class. Coming to class prepared and focusing on your teacher will make answering question easier if avoiding getting called on does not work.
• Question What if the teacher makes you come to the front of the class to answer the question, but you don’t know the answer? Try not to be nervous about being in the front. Try to make an educated guess or be honest and say you are sorry but you were not paying attention.

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

• If you know the teacher is going to call on you, just drop your pencil on accident and take as long as you can to pick it up and she will skip you!
• Don’t be too obvious about trying to avoid your teacher.
• Know that the best way to have a good experience in class is to pay attention and prepare for class.

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Every teacher is different so these steps will not always work.

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Why do people sit where they sit?

The Psychology Behind Why You Always Want To Sit In The Same Seat If you’re the kind of person who likes to pick the every single time, must reserve the same bike at spin class week after week, or even was the kid who always called “dibs” on the same bus seat for school, you should know, you’re not alone.

In fact, we all want to call “same seats” because it’s apparently coded into human nature. “Usually territoriality is thought of in terms of aggression and defense, such as when nations or gangs fight, but actually its most common purpose is to keep the peace,” University of Victoria psychology professor Robert Gifford, shared with,

“Most of the time, most people claim a space and others tacitly agree to it.” According to Quartz, this behavior all comes down to environmental psychology, which allows humans to feel like they have some semblance of control over their daily lives.

As an example, Quartz explained that children often choose the same seats in a classroom to “control their relationships with their fellow students in a shared space, which makes them feel more comfortable and less vulnerable.” WATCH: Here’s How Much You Really Need To Workout, According to Science To further test this theory, Marco Costa, a psychologist at the University of Bologna, followed two university classrooms for four weeks, photographing the rooms each day to track where students sat.

The classrooms consisted of 47 and 31 freshman students respectively. He chose classrooms that had more seats than students and decided on freshman because it would minimize the impact of friends choosing to sit with friends. According to Quartz, Costa found that students chose the same seats over and over for the entire month, concluding that this act helped students take “control of their environment and achieve academic and personal goals with minimal interference.” So really, always choosing the seat is a great way to help ensure your success in school, the office, your workout, or just in your daily routine.

What is the best position to sit in a classroom?

2. Sit Smart – You may not have much choice over your seating arrangements if you are attend classes in person, but try to avoid slouching in the chair. General rules for sitting posture are: Position your hips to the back of the chair and keep both feet flat on the floor (avoid crossing your legs or tucking one foot under a thigh).

Incorrect posture	Correct posture

If you have lower back pain when sitting, you may use a rolled-up towel placed at the curve of your lower back to improve the support at your lumbar spine. If you’re in virtual classes, aim to stand up and walk around a bit in-between lectures, even though you don’t need to transport yourself to your next class physically.

Why do students always sit in the same spot?

Ever noticed that you’re stuck in your ways when it comes to seating preferences? Do you always sit in the same chair when you enter a conference room, select the same bike each time you take a spin class, or choose the same side of the plane when pre-selecting a seat? It’s not just you: It’s environmental psychology.

• This behavior is an expression of “territoriality.” Territoriality is a spatial organizing mechanism that expresses itself in surprising ways.
• Usually territoriality is thought of in terms of aggression and defense, such as when nations or gangs fight, but actually its most common purpose is to keep the peace,” says University of Victoria psychology professor Robert Gifford,

“Most of the time most people claim a space and others tacitly agree to it.” In case of classrooms, always choosing the same spot allows students to effectively regulate and control their relationships with their fellow students in a shared space, which makes them feel more comfortable and less vulnerable.

1. Building off earlier studies, Marco Costa, a psychologist at the University of Bologna, decided to objectively track student seating habits.
2. Over the space of four weeks, he used unobtrusive photography to record the seating habits of two university lecture halls containing 47 and 31 students respectively.

The study was conducted using freshmen at the start of the term to minimize the impact of friendships dictating seating arrangements. He also chose classrooms in which there were sufficiently more seats than the number of students enrolled, thus allowing students more degrees of freedom as well as preempting the possibility of crowd pressure.

Using this data, he then estimated the mean displacements and territory dimensions to see the seating patterns. He found that most students choose the same seat over and over. Their behavior reflects the act of developing small personal territories around a seat, which makes them feel more comfortable.

He also observed that even if students can’t “personalize their space and defend it against the invasion of other users when they are absent,” they still sat in the same positions. He concluded that the choice of the same seat helps students gain control of their environment and achieve academic and personal goals with minimal interference.

1. This behavior was further reinforced in a study by Gilles Clement of Lyon Neuroscience Research Center and Angie Bukley of International Space University.
2. Their goal was to determine how fast students settle into a specific seat location—if they do at all.
3. They studied students’ seat selection in a lecture hall over two academic programs for 19 and 44 days.

In order to further refine their observations of how seating patterns develop, they collected hourly data using unobtrusive photography. Their findings demonstrated that students start settling into their preferred seats starting from the second day of class, and by the end of the first month in the longer course, over half of the students were sitting in the same seat every time.

Such studies have continued getting more granular. Naz Kaya, an independent educational psychologist, and Brigitte Burgess of the University of Southern Mississippi wanted to look at how both gender and the design of a classroom affect seating choices. They observed classrooms with rows of tablet-arm chairs, U-shaped arrangements, clusters, and rows of tables with individual chairs.

They saw that some variation depended on classroom layout, but more significantly, they found that women settled into the same seats more often than men, regardless of classroom design. They concluded that this could be because women often carry a handbag in addition to their notebooks or textbooks, which may lead to the desire to claim a seat that will allow more space.

But what effect might this have on learning? According to Temple University professor Ralph B. Taylor, who is the author of Human Territorial Functioning: An Empirical Perspective on Individual and Small Group Territorial Cognitions, by establishing a personal territory, occupants avoid the daily need of negotiating with the external environmental.

Because they’re not wasting mental energy making themselves psychological comfortable in a new position every day, it makes it easier for them to achieve their goals, like concentrating on the lecture at hand. In other words, sitting in the same place every class might set you up for a more optimal learning environment.

Where a student sits in a classroom can influence?

Main content – Abstract: This paper examines the impact of seating locations on student classroom learning. Specifically, it examines the impact of seating locations on a) student learning motivation, b) student-student and teacher-student relationships, c) the nature of different tasks and activities performed, and d) student classroom participation.

1. Its impact on classroom participation is carefully discussed because active engagement and participation in the learning experience positively affects students’ learning while promoting the use of higher order thinking skills (Flynn, Vermette, Mesibov & Smith, 2009; McKeachie, 1990; Stronge, 2007).
2. Student control, along with the implications related to seating locations in the classroom is also explained and discussed.

Research gaps in this area are identified. Full Text: Introduction It seems that there is a common belief that where students decide to sit within a classroom reflects upon their motivation, engagement, and willingness to learn (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Budge, 2000; Burda & Brooks, 1996; Daly & Suite, 1982; Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

Though this belief has become an anecdotal comment, there are indicators suggesting that student location within the classroom affects academic performance (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Holliman & Anderson, 1986; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006). Over the past decades, research has explored whether it is the good student who selects the seat at the front of the class or if the seat at the front of the class creates the good student (Burda & Brooks, 1996).

What teachers consider to be a good student can vary. Research shows that seating locations (1) are related to academic achievement and classroom participation (Budge, 2000; Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008; Weinstein, 1979). Seating locations concern how students are seated within the classroom environment.

• They can vary in size and formation; however, they affect students’ learning conditions, and learning conditions impact their engagement and participation in the classroom (Budge, 2000; Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).
• Research has begun to show that active engagement and participation in the learning experience positively affects students’ learning (Flynn, Vermette, Mesibov, & Smith, 2009; Stronge, 2007).

Classroom participation is associated with the generation and promotion of higher order thinking skills, and this cognitive stimulation provides students with a different environment which promotes positive and effective learning experiences (McKeachie, 1990).

• Further, a pleasant classroom learning environment helps students learn better, and different seating locations provide students with access to learning resources, such as the teacher and clear lines of sight to the board (Douglas & Gifford, 2001; Jamieson, 2003; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).
• Classroom seating arrangements (2) also have the ability to affect the communal environment within the room (Jamieson, 2003; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

Due to the large amount of time students and teachers spend in the classroom; overall comfort level of the environment is a factor that impacts student achievement and success. Students who find their classroom to be pleasant and comfortable generally demonstrate an increase in participation leading to higher achievement (Douglas & Gifford, 2001).

Therefore, the examination of the impact of seating locations on student classroom learning has important educational implications. This paper examines the impact of seating locations on student classroom learning. Specifically, it examines the impact of seating locations on a) student learning motivation, b) student-student and teacher-student relationships, c) the nature of different tasks and activities performed, and d) student classroom participation.

Its impact on classroom participation is carefully discussed because active engagement and participation in the learning experience positively affects students’ learning and promotes students’ use of higher order thinking skills (Flynn, Vermette, Mesibov & Smith, 2009; McKeachie, 1990; Stronge, 2007).

Student control, along with the implications related to seating locations in the classroom is also explained and discussed. Research gaps in this area are further identified. Impact of Seating Locations on Student Learning Motivation Although the access to different resources and increased monitoring provided by sitting at the front of the class pose students with a different environment than those sitting near the back of the class, student learning motivation and personalities traits play a big role in achievement and involvement in the learning experience (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Edwards, 2000).

It may be that students with higher motivation levels and a deeper interest in learning choose to sit near the front of the class, while those who sit farther away exhibit less motivation and interest in the learning experience. This may also be a perception that teachers hold towards their prospective students (Burda & Brooks, 1996).

• The learning experience received by students sitting near the front of the class is different than that received by students sitting farther away.
• A replicate study by Burda and Brooks (1996) demonstrated that students sitting near the front of the class demonstrate higher motivation and participation results on the NachNaff scale, which is a survey consisting of 30 items in which students had to choose between self-descriptive adjectives consistent with either a need for achievement or a need for affiliation (Sid & Lindgren, 1982).

The study by Burda and Brooks (1996) concluded that students sitting near the front of the class received much higher achievement scores than students sitting farther away. It further concluded that pre-existing personality traits motivate students to select seats near the front of the classroom (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Edwards, 2000).

This may be due to their self-assurance in their ability to maximize the learning experience provided by sitting closer to the front. This may also be due to the ability to recognize the increase in access to learning resources and a clearer line of communication between the student and the instructor.

Aggressiveness and the need for success may also be motivating students to sit closer to the front of the classroom (Burda & Brooks, 1996). More passive learners may feel more comfortable farther away from the central location of the instructor. Such a seating location often guarantees less direct interaction and the ability to distance oneself (Burda & Brooks, 1996).

• Directly related to motivation is student engagement in the learning process.
• An engaging environment provides students with an effective and enticing setting in which learning can occur (Vermette, 2009).
• Behavioural engagement is also directly related to students’ abilities to cope and relate to the subject matter being taught (Lan, Ponitz, Miller, Li, Cortina, Perry, & Fang, 2009).

A higher engagement level thus manifests itself in students’ capability to achieve much more academically. Increased involvement in learning tasks or communication with the teacher has the ability to promote learning, as greater exposure to the subject matter often increases understanding and retention (Leung & Fung, 2005; Weaver & Qi, 2005; Xia, 2006).

Higher participation levels can then lead to higher academic achievement which may be interpreted by educators as being more motivated and involved in the learning process. As mentioned above, such traits are commonly represented in students who desire to sit closer to the front of the classroom. Such a trend has the ability to influence teachers’ perceptions of students’ motivation and learning interests.

Impact of Seating Locations on Student-Student and Teacher-Student Relationships Different seating locations have the ability to influence teacher-student and student-student interaction (Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000). As such, teachers are often led to have different perceptions about student locations within the classroom.

Different classroom seating arrangements create various social interaction opportunities. For example, non-linear seating arrangements such as semi-circles or a u-shape increase the possibility of face-to-face communication between students and teachers (Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006). Such seating arrangements promote positive student-student and teacher-student interaction.

Furthermore, non-linear seating arrangements, such as those above mentioned, often allow for students to have better access to learning resources, such as the teacher (Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008). This in itself can promote not only teacher-student interaction, but also better understanding and access to learning experiences.

Another aspect of social relationships within the classroom is those formed between students. Student-student interaction affects classroom participation (Fassinger, 1996). The implementation of different seating arrangements either reinforces or diminishes the availability of social interaction within the classroom.

Research has shown that where students are located within the classroom can influence the amount of non-academic activity, off-task behavior, and socialization they engage in (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Budge, 2000; Davis & Fox, 1999; Edwards, 2000; Granstrom, 1996; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

1. Impact of Seating Locations on the Nature of Different Tasks and Activities Seating locations can also impact the nature of different tasks and activities used in the classroom.
2. For example, using rows and columns greatly emphasizes the role of the individual.
3. As such, one may conclude that using rows and columns as a seating arrangement increases on-task behavior and attention when students are to complete individual work (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Budge, 2000; Edwards, 2000; Hastings & Schwieso, 1995; Hofkins, 1994; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

This provides teachers with the ability to closely monitor students individually and, therefore, disruptive, non-individual interaction can be easily identified. Keeping in mind teachers’ needs, teaching styles also influence the seating arrangement provided to the students (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

Therefore, though it would be beneficial for students, the type of activity often does not dictate the seating arrangement. Commonly, the instructor’s teaching style dictates the classrooms seating arrangement. If the focus of the activity is no longer individual but communal, non linear seating arrangements may be best.

As Wannarka & Ruhl (2008) note in their summary of empirical research on seating arrangements in the classroom, communication is greatly emphasized and increased when students sit in a semicircular seating arrangement. Though the row and column set-up is often implemented in teacher-centered classrooms, research illustrates that small group seating arrangements are often preferred when focusing on student-centered activities (Martin, 2002; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

• Small groups as a form of seating arrangement often provides the instructor and the student the ability to interact more often; this promotes working with individuals more closely when compared to row and column seating arrangements (Kaya & Burgess, 2007; Patton, Snell, Knight, & Gerken, 2001).
• The mere comparison of these two different seating arrangements demonstrates how different behavior and activities are emphasized through each seating plan.

While a rows and columns seating plan greatly focuses on individualistic activities with minimal social interaction, small groups offer students greater interaction amongst peers while working together. While the rows and columns set-up emphasizes individuality, semi-circular arrangements, where students are able to have clearer lines of interaction, allows for communication to flourish and be nurtured.

1. Aside from semi-circular arrangements, small groups offer small social interaction with a set number of people (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Patton, Snell, Knight, & Gerken, 2001).
2. This may be more common when implementing group work activities.
3. As such, communication increases when students are placed in seating arrangements which focus on the group (Marx et al., 2000).

Promoting such interaction can be directly linked to communication between persons. The facilitation of communication, either among students or between the student and the teacher, has the ability to further promote learning opportunities. The inability to access desirable and interactive seating locations has the potential to negatively affect student learning, as it may limit the exposure to subject matter and the expression of thoughts and knowledge.

Impact of Seating Locations on Student Classroom Participation Seating arrangements themselves create various dynamics within the classroom. The actual seating arrangement layout can influence student control in the classroom. The impact of seating locations within the classroom and how students self-select different seating locations are also related to participation levels in the classroom.

Lastly, where one sits in the classroom, the front of the class or the back of the class has the potential to affect student participation. Student Control Seating arrangements can help control disruptive and easily distracted students (Hastings & Schwieso, 1995; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

The notion of using the environment to help control or manipulate behavior is not a new concept. The creation of environmental and physical structures around humans has the potential to greatly mould one’s behavior. As Foucault (1972) explored, control over others is possible without physical restraints or implications.

One can further apply this concept to the use of different classroom seating plans to help prevent disruptive behavior within the classroom. The larger the class size is, the greater the need for control. As such, the size of the class and the room teachers are presented with are directly related to how the classroom is to function (Weaver & Qi, 2005).

Management of such conditions will pose different conditions for both educators and students. Aside from teacher control of space, students may also feel the need to delineate spatial constraints affecting seating selection and arrangement. Creating a sense of personal space can effectively control social interaction within the classroom setting (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).

Though the goal is not to constrain students’ freedom, seating plans have proven to encourage certain types of behavior, which may be best suited to the different learning experiences teachers wish to provide their students (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

In addition to the ability to influence behavior, seating arrangements have the possibility to influence movement within the classroom. Though this is a subtle form of control, seating arrangements can be utilized to encourage desirable behavior and interaction while limiting the opportunity for misbehavior (Marx et al., 2000).

Additionally, studies have demonstrated that students’ location within the classroom can influence the amount of non-academic activity students engage in affecting students’ social behavior and on-task engagement (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Budge, 2000; Davis & Fox, 1999; Edwards, 2000; Granstrom, 1996; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

• Non academic peer interaction has the increased ability to negatively affect students’ academic achievement as the limitation of education distracters promotes increased retention and understanding (Ahmed & Arends-Kuenning, 2006).
• As mentioned above, communication is a key component to the learning experience.

It becomes clear that different seating arrangements allow for increased control and restraint of student interaction and movement. One may also further analyze the ability for increased eye-contact with all students in more open, non-linear seating arrangements.

An unobstructed face-to-face visual line has the ability to further control student behavior (Marx et al., 2000). Seating arrangements which promote eye-contact, such as a semi-circle or a u-shape, will assist the instructor in being aware of student movement while still being able to promote social interaction between students (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).

Therefore, not only can teachers have more awareness of student activities, perceptions about students may also be created dependent upon the seating location they choose to select. This aspect can also be included when the teacher selects the seating location for each student.

Assigned seating location may also keep in mind how teachers wish to control students. Keeping a visible line of sight on students will allow for the teacher to have additional input on that student’s activities and engagement level within the class. Whether the students select their classroom locations or the teacher selects the students’ seats, different perceptions of student motivation, involvement, and engagement may be at play in the decision making process (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).

In addition to communication and physical restriction of student movement, teacher selected seating arrangements and classroom organization further reflect on the unspoken control educators have over their students. Seating arrangements have been directly linked to the instructors’ teaching style, which is not guided by the students (Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

As explored above, different arrangements have the ability to affect teacher-student interaction (Marx et al., 2000). Though teachers may hold different perceptions about student locations within the classroom, much of the conditions students are presented with are provided to them by the instructor.

Impact on Attendance and Grades A recent study by Perkins and Wieman (2005) demonstrated significant results in which changing student location within a university class established a difference in attendance, performance, and achievement. In this study the students’ performance and attendance was noted and compared to where they were located within the classroom.

Halfway through the course, the students were required to change seats, bringing those who sat at the back closer to the front and those who sat at the front closer to the back of the class. What was found was that the further the original seating location was to the front of the class the lower the average attendance (Perkins & Wieman, 2005).

Other analyses indicated that the likelihood of achieving an A as a grade decreased as the distance from the front of the class increased (Perkins & Wieman, 2005). Benedict and Hoag (2004) reported similar results. In their study, analyzing seating preferences and seating location and their relation to course performance, a preference to sit closer to the front of the class translated into a decreased likelihood of receiving a low grade.

Students who preferred to sit at the front of the class demonstrated a higher likelihood of receiving a B or an A as a grade than those sitting closer to the back of the class. Additionally, students who prefer to sit closer to the back of the class had a higher likelihood of receiving a D or an F when compared to those who preferred to sit near the front of the class.

In this study students were forced to change their seating location. Students were either moved closer to the front or farther back. Results show that students who are forced to the front demonstrated an increase in likelihood of receiving a higher grade in the course (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

1. Being forced to the sides of a fan-shape lecture hall reduced the probability that a student would receive a B or an A as a grade (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).
2. These results suggest that moving students forward in a class may override the negative effects associated with sitting at the back of a classroom (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

Overall, both studies demonstrate how different seating locations have the possibility to affect student attendance and grades. Some of the factors affecting learning experiences and seating selection include student motivation levels, personality traits, the ease of communication, availability of seats, and proximity to learning resources, such as the teacher.

• Although these factors influence the learning experience, one’s ability to recognize such factors will also affect learning success.
• Teachers may be aware of such conditions, but students are not always cognisant of these conditions.
• Whether teachers are aware of such a fact may greatly affect their subsequent perceptions of the students they teach.

Seating locations are often used by teachers as an indicator of student interest and motivation (Daly & Suite, 1982), even though the students may not recognize this. Keeping with this belief, the ability to self-select seating will further grant the students the ability to demonstrate their feelings towards learning.

Nevertheless, teachers often have the ability to select seating arrangements. Where students are assigned to sit may then be a revelation of the teachers’ interpretations of their student, which may not necessarily be accurate. Student Selected Seating Location There appears to be a strong relationship between where a student selects to sit and his/her subsequent involvement in the class.

Proximity of seats to the front of the class or to the source of learning, most commonly the teacher, will greatly vary on the format of seating arrangement currently being implemented. Educators must keep in mind self-selected seating locations will hold different circumstances than when teachers select students’ seats.

1. After all, when students get to select their own seats a sense of autonomy is provided to the student.
2. However, this freedom to select one’s own seat may prove to be an indicator of the student’s motivation and interest in the class (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Marx et al., 2000).
3. The Front of the Class versus the Back of the Class One may interpret a student’s decision to sit near the front of the class as an indicator of deeper interest in the class and to secure that student’s ability to participate in the class activities.

If this is the case, then student personality is a key motivator in the selection of seating location. Earlier research has indicated that students who choose to sit near the front of the class, or in central seats, more often exhibit creative, assertive, and competitive personality traits (Totusek & Staton-Spicer, 1982).

The most prevalent trend suggests that students who sit front and center within the classroom will participate more than those who sit at the back; and so, they are perceived to be better students (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Burda & Brooks, 1996; Daly & Suite, 1982; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Weaver & Qi, 2006).

As such, student participation is related to the teacher’s impressions of the student. Other studies have noted that students who self-select seats near the front of the class also exhibit a sense of increased attentiveness (Hillmann, Brooks & O’Brien, 1991).

One can argue that such student traits are desirable in the educational field and later when entering the employment field. Thus one may conclude that students who select to sit near the front of the class may recognize the need to obtain learning conditions which will best allow them to achieve their desired results.

The opposite may be concluded for those sitting near the back of the class. However, other conditions will also affect the availability of such desirable seating locations. Students who enter the classroom first may be in the position to select desirable seats first; thus, those who are unable to come first may be left with seats they do not desire but are left with no other option (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

Diminished access from desirable seats has the potential to place students in a position where they are left with undesirable seating location which increases psychological and physical pressures in the learning environment (Xia, 2006). Evidently, this is a factor to keep in mind. The availability of limited resources within the classroom, including seating location, should not be neglected.

Keeping this in mind, one may wish to consider seat preference versus actual seating location. Benedict and Hoag (2004) noted that seat preference versus actual sitting location was an indicator of academic motivation and achievement. As such, seating preference may be an indicator of learning motivation and interest.

1. Aside from being an indicator of student motivation and interest, seat selection within the classroom can also be linked to territoriality and the desire to feel comfortable in the learning environment.
2. A study by Kaya and Burgess (2007) examined the tendency for seat preference and territoriality within the college level classroom.

Upon having labeled each respective seat with a number, a Likert scale based survey was conducted to determine which seats students preferred and what their feelings were about seat territoriality within their classrooms. Student seating preference was also noted within this survey.

• The results of this study demonstrated how exterior seats are more desirable due to commonly being more spacious (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).
• The more items a student may need to have present during class can influence his/her subsequent seating location decision.
• Sitting in the front and center may now pose difficulties and discomfort which can also detract from the learning experience.

This study is significant as it exposes another factor driving student seat selection. The study conducted by Ruoff and Schneider (2006) illustrates yet another aspect of seating location within the classroom. This study focuses more on the personal and social reasoning behind seat selection versus the accessibility to learning resources or the students’ motivation to learn.

1. The peer conditions presented within the classroom influence not only seating selection but also the amount of interaction and participation elicited by students, all factors which affect teachers’ perceptions of students (Weaver & Qi, 2005).
2. Seat selection is seen in this study as a result of social and repetitive actions.

Seating is seen as an interactive process, where the decisions of the individual are influenced by the decision of those before him or her (Ruoff & Schneider, 2006). Social pressures may in fact influence students’ seat selection. There may be a fear to be perceived as anti-social or pressure may be felt to join the larger group (Ruoff & Schneider, 2006).

• Again, the topic of convenience and comfort becomes a factor in this study.
• Individuals who have access to seats closer to the exit often select these seats.
• Such seats often offer the student more comfort and less constriction when attempting to leave the class.
• Nevertheless, such a location can also be interpreted as giving the student an easy way out of the class due to his/her disengagement and disinterest in attending the full class period.

The process of selecting seats within the classroom poses an interesting situation in itself. Teacher perspectives towards students and where they select to sit may also pose an interesting dynamic in the learning environment. The availability of resources, in this case the information the teacher offers students, becomes very important for the success and growth of students.

The main way to convey this information is through communication. Communication occurs in many forms; some of the most prevalent include verbal, written, and illustrated. Nevertheless, the most common within the classroom is still verbal communication. Identified Research Gaps Thus far research on the topic of seating arrangements appears to provide educators and researchers alike with a gap of studies.

In more recent years there appears to be a resurgence of focus on the topic of seating arrangements and how they affect students’ learning outcomes. Research most often explores what type of student chooses to sit in different locations within the classroom (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Daly & Suite, 1982).

Other common topics of research discuss the conditions surrounding students which impact student academic achievement, including seating location within the classroom (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Lan et al., 2009; Stronge, 2007). Though not abundant, there are studies exploring the direct impact of seating locations and the consequential impact such a change has on academic achievement and grades (Perkins & Wieman, 2005).

Although there are some studies directly related to seating arrangements, educational research regarding seating arrangements is not abundant. A direct connection between seating arrangements and student participation is very scarce. Identified research gaps include topics such as an in depth analysis of different seating arrangements and how they are most effective, how teacher perspective of students differs depending on where students choose to sit, who makes the decision as to where students sit: teachers or students; and how such a decision affects student participation and academic achievement.

The majority of the studies discussed within this paper focus on seating arrangements within the postsecondary and secondary educational level, thus leading one to question how these topics affect students at the elementary level. In addition to the above mentioned research gaps, there is a profound scarcity of studies exploring the impact of cultural factors on seating arrangements and subsequent student participation and academic achievement.

With the increase of internationalization of education (Bond, Jun, & Huang, 2003, 2006), the field of education needs to continuously expand its understanding and implementation of different learning environments. Different cultures are increasingly interacting thus the need to better understand and interpret the value of education for the different parties involved becomes imperative.

1. Therefore, future studies need to provide researchers, educators, and other alike with an insight into how different cultural backgrounds may differ in regards to the implementation and reaction to different seating arrangements within the classroom.
2. Conclusion The classroom environment is a very diverse and highly dynamic setting.

Teacher perceptions about students are often influenced by the conditions which are presented to them. One of the most obvious and constant factors is that of seating location. In turn, students’ seating locations are greatly affected by the seating arrangements provided to them.

1. Different seating conditions also present themselves in different countries.
2. Though seating arrangements such as rows and columns, small groups, u-shape, and semi-circles are often used throughout the world, pedagogical beliefs tend to influence and dictate the most commonly used seating plan.
3. For example, North America is moving towards the promotion of small groups within the classroom (Lan et al., 2009).

This may be easily attained due to smaller class sizes and larger classroom areas. In Asian countries like China, the prominent seating arrangement is still that of rows and columns, with all students facing forward towards the teacher (Xia, 2006). As one can imagine, the subsequent teaching methods implemented within each classroom setting will have to be different.

1. Another factor influencing the seating arrangement is the nature of the task at hand and the teacher’s instructional style.
2. Depending on what management style the instructor focuses on very different seating arrangements will be considered.
3. In more traditional settings, where rows and columns are emphasized, control and individualistic traits are customary.

Non-linear seating arrangements, such as a u-shape and semi-circle will tend to promote communication and social cohesion. Regardless of which arrangement is present in the classroom, where a student sits will affect the resources and the learning experience the student is exposed to, such as being able to see and hear the teacher (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

1. Teacher perceptions of student learning and academic involvement can be greatly affected by where a student decides to sit.
2. It may be ill advised to rely on such first impressions to influence the teacher-student relationship.
3. After all, learning is a covert action which needs overt evidence for others to recognize it (Hastings & Schwieso, 1995; Vermette, personal communication).

Therefore, even though a student may sit in a front and center location, appearing to be motivated and engaged, the student may still not learn. The conditions within the classroom are diverse and unique. As such, it is important to analyze and explore which perceptions teachers may have about how classroom seating arrangements will impact students’ classroom learning.

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Educational Studies, 30(4), 354-372. Budge, D. (2000). Secret is in the seating. Times Educational Supplement, 4396, 26-27. Benedict, M., & Hoag, J. (2004). Seating location in large lectures: Are seating preferences or location related to course performance? Journal of Economic Education, 35(2), 215-231.

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Burda, J., & Brooks, C. (1996). College classroom seating position and changes in achievement motivation over a semester. Psychological Reports, 78, 331-336. Daly, J., & Suite, A. (1982). Classroom seating choice and teacher perceptions of students. The Journal of Experimental Education, 50(2), 64-69.

Davis, C., & Fox, J. (1999). Evaluating environmental arrangement as setting events: Review and implications for measurement. Journal of Behavioral Education, 9(2), 77-96. Douglas, D., & Gifford, R. (2001). Evaluation of the physical classroom by students and professors: A lens model approach. Educational Research, 43(2), 295-309.

Edwards, C. (2000). Classroom Discipline and Management. New York, NY: Wiley. Fassinger, P. (1996). Professors’ and students’ perceptions of why students participate in class. Teaching Sociology, 24(1), 25-33. Flynn, P., Vermette, P., Mesibov, D., & Smith, R.

1. 2009). Captivating classes with constructivism.
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4. Power and strategies and the eye of power.
5. In Power / knowledge: Selected interviews and other writings.
6. Edited by Colin Gordon, p.135-165.
7. Granstrom, K. (1996).
8. Private communication between students in the classroom in relation to different classroom features.

Educational Psychology, 16(4), 349-364. Hastings, N., & Schwieso, J. (1995). Tasks and tables: The effects of seating arrangements on task engagement in primary classrooms. Educational Research, 37(3), 279-291. Hofkins, D. (1994). Rows of seats give a better work-rate.

Times Educational Supply, 4082, 13. Holliman, W., & Anderson, H. (1986). Proximity and student density as ecological variables in a college classroom. Teaching of Psychology, 13(4), 200-203. Jamieson, P. (2003). Designing more effective on-campus teaching and learning spaces: A role for academic developers.

International Journal for Academic Development, 8(1/2), 119-133. Kaya, N., & Burgess, B. (2007). Territoriality: Seat preferences in different types of classroom arrangements. Environment and Behaviour, 39(6), 859-876. Lan, X., Ponitz, C., Miller, K., Li, S., & Cortina, K.

2009). Keeping their attention: Classroom practices associated with behavioural engagement in first grade mathematics classes in China and the United States. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 24, 198-211. Leung, M., & Fung, I. (2005). Enhancement of classroom facilities of primary schools and its impact on learning behaviours of students.

Facilities, 23(13/14), 585-594. Marx, A., Fuhrer, U., & Hartig, T. (2000). Effects of classroom seating arrangements on children’s question-asking. Learning Environments Research, 2, 249-263. McKeachie, W. (1990). Research on college teaching: The historical background.

Journal of Educational Psychology, 82,189-200. Patton, J., Snell, J., Knight, W., & Gerken, K. (2001). A survey study of elementary classroom eating designs. Annual Meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Washington, DC. Perkins, K., & Wieman, C. (2005). The surprising impact of seat location on student performance.

The Physics Teacher, 43, 30-33. Ruoff, G., & Schneider, G. (2006). Segregation in the classroom: An empirical test of the Schelling model. Rationality and Society, 18(1), 95-117. Sid, A., & Lindgren, H. (1982). Achievement and affiliation motivation and their correlates.

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Totusek, P., & Staton-Spicer, A. (1982). Classroom seating preference as a function of student personality. Journal of Experimental Education, 50(3), 159-163. Vermette, P. (2009).E.N.G.A.G.I.N.G. teens in their own learning: 8 keys to success. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Xia, W. (2006). Is our classroom and ecological place? Frontiers of Education in China, 1, 56-69. Wannarka, R., & Ruhl, K. (2008). Seating arrangements that promote positive academic and behavioural outcomes: A review of empirical research. Support for Learning, 23(2), 89-93. Weaver, R., & Qi, J. (2005). Classroom organization and participation: College students’ perceptions.

The Journal of Higher Education, 76(5), 570-601. Weinstein, C. (1979). The physical environment of the school: A review of the research. Review of Education Research, 49(4), 577-610. Amanda Careena Fernandes, M.Ed. Graduate, College of Education Niagara University Jinyan Huang, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of TESOL and Assessment Niagara University Vince Rinaldo, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Education Niagara University (1) Seating location depicts where a student sits within the classroom. (2) Seating arrangements refer to the layout of desks and chairs within the classroom. This reflects both where students choose to sit and where they are assigned to sit.

Seating arrangements identified in this paper include rows and columns, u-shape, semi-circle, fan-shape, and clusters, also known as small groups. Seating arrangements, seating plans, and seating layout may be used interchangeably in this paper. Fernandes, Amanda Careena^Huang, Jinyan^Rinaldo, Vince Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 International Journal of Applied Educational Studies

Why I should sit in the back of the class?

A big choice for college students: Front, middle, or back row? Greg Markley By Greg Markley By the time students transition from high school to a college or university, their classroom seating preferences are fully inculcated. But suddenly they are in a room with 150 or more seats, and that’s as shocking as SEC teams having a 10-game regular season.

Well, not THAT shocking, but close. What if you come from Akron in Hale County, AL? When the classroom is full, you will be with the equivalent of half of the residents of your hometown. (Akron had 356 people as of the 2010 Census.) Don’t let it stop you from making good choices for seats in classes that do not observe assigned seating.

This column is about what are thought to be the promises and the faults of sitting at certain places in classrooms. Many of my childhood friends, including one who was in jail and another a successful engineer, sat in the back row. I sat up front as I had near-sightedness—but didn’t have any eyeglasses.

• I don’t remember if I was afraid to wear glasses, as it was a stigma then.
• It could have been that my parents could not afford an ophthalmologist or the glasses, as we were a middle-class family with four kids.
• I got glasses when I received my driving license in 1974.
• It was nice to see more vivid colors and details.

According to Paul Adams, Ph.D, a dean at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA, students who sit in the front row have made an excellent choice. “It’s clear that students tend to do much better in class when they sit close to the front (the closer, the better) because they become more engaged in the class,” Adams explained.

• Since my undergraduate days, I almost always found myself sitting up front.
• One reason is that I usually read up for the class.
• Students who are unprepared for class tend to seek shelter in the farthest back rows.
• Another reason is that you can hear the professor better and take accurate notes.
• You participate more in class discussions and develop better study habits.

This invariably leads to higher grades. Still another reason I prefer the front row, no matter how small or large the class, is that it is a “political” choice.” I know—people in the U.S. Army often told me they like being “away from the flagpole.” That is, away from a headquarters building where the colonels and sergeants major work.

If you are in a class of 60-plus students, you interact with your professor much less. However, if you are sitting in front and a professor notices you and how dedicated you are, it doesn’t hurt that you have consistently high grades. My undergraduate major is in political science, so I broadly conceive the term “politics”.

It is “a set of activities associated with making group decisions, or other forms of power relations between individuals.” When you sit up front, “what you know” and “who you know” are a good recipe for success. “The middle of the classroom is one of the worst places to sit,” wrote Robert Wallace, Ed.D.

in 2017 for Creators Syndicate. “In a classroom, a speaker’s eyes tend to go to the front of the room and the back. They don’t look at the center of a room as often or with the same amount of attention. Students who are shy and retiring, timid or have problems paying attention should avoid the middle of a room.” People who sit in the back of a classroom are stereotyped as trying to avoid attention or as sneaking a peek at their phones.

But that does not tell the whole story. Some students prefer the back because they have a job to be at 20 minutes after class and exiting the room from up front would take them longer. Others might sit in the back so they can discreetly discuss the lecture with friends nearby.

That would draw too much attention up front. “When you sit in the back of the classroom, you have a tendency to get distracted and watch other kids instead of the teacher,” offered Tina Parks, an education major at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA, in 2017. “There’s also better eye contact with the teacher when you sit in the front row.” People like me, who sit in the front row in classes, are sometimes called “nerds” or “professor’s favorites.” That’s true in many cases.

But I did get plenty of As. There are also oversimplified images of students who elect to sit in the middle or back of a classroom. After all, it’s your choice that counts, not mine. Greg Markley has lived in Lee County for 20 of the past 24 years. An award-winning journalist, he has master’s degrees in education and history.

Why do people sit in front of the class?

Home Resources other other perks of sitting up front in class 1579823671

January 23, 2020 There are many factors that determine how well you do in a class. One of the easiest ways to improve your chances of succeeding is sitting as close to the front of the classroom as you can. There are many factors that determine how well you do in a class.

One of the easiest ways to improve your chances of succeeding is sitting as close to the front of the classroom as you can. If sitting in the very front row is going to stress you out more than help you, sit as close as you feel comfortable with. Sitting in the front of the classroom allows a student to be more engaged.

You will make more eye contact with the professor and may even be called on more. Answering questions in front of the class can be intimidating but it is a great way to learn. Even if you get the question wrong it’s nothing to be ashamed of; most people in class probably didn’t know the answer either.

Speaking up in front of a large group of people is also a great life skill to learn. If a professor notices you sitting in the front of the class, you will stand out among your peers. Sitting up front shows you care; use this to your advantage. If you arrive to class a couple minutes early sit up front and ask your professor how they’re doing.

These simple steps will help your professor remember you. This relationship could come in handy if your grade is on the edge or if you forget to turn in an assignment. Classes are around an hour to an hour and a half long. In the big scheme of things this is not that long to stay focused on something that will help build our future.

If you spend this time with your mind wandering, the class will seem twice as long. Sitting in the back of the room makes it easy to get distracted and hide from the professor. If laptops are allowed in class it’s very easy to start surfing the Internet and completely lose focus. If you are in the front of the room it tends to be easier to stay focused on the material you are learning.

There’s a good chance you will even be able to cut down on your outside study time if you pay attention in class. If jumping right to the front row seems intimidating to you, take it step by step. Start moving up a couple of rows every week and see how easy it is to be more successful!

Where should ADHD students sit?

Some teachers assign certain seats to students because they believe it helps maintain class discipline, makes record-keeping and memorizing names easier, and meets the students’ academic needs. If you assign seats, think about the issues involved, and decide which seating arrangement works best for each student.

1. Give the student a choice.
2. If you don’t assign seats for other students, and the student with attention deficit disorder ( ADHD or ADD ) is doing her work, let her select her own seat.
3. Many students with ADHD don’t want to be singled out and are easily embarrassed when they are.
4. Assign a front row seat? Maybe, maybe not.

Sometimes students with ADHD are seated in the front row near the teacher’s desk to help them pay attention. However, the teacher’s desk is often the center of activity, and a nearby seat may be too distracting for the student with attention challenges.

1. Seat a student with ADHD two or three rows from the front, on the side of the classroom.
2. If she becomes restless, the student can stand without drawing attention to herself.
3. Use other students to provide visual cues.
4. Some educational experts suggest that distractible students benefit from watching and taking cues from others regarding the activity of the moment.

If other seat assignments don’t work, assign the student with ADHD to a seat near where the teacher gives instruction. Some students will stay focused if they are seated near the teacher’s podium or the area where the teacher is most often standing and teaching.

1. Make an alternate seat or workstation available.
2. This allows restless students to get up and move to a different table or desk to do classwork or projects.
3. One of the extra workstations may be a stand-up desk, allowing a student to stand up and work.
4. Seat a student with ADHD away from major distractions.

Avoid seating a distracted student near an open door, a pencil sharpener, or a loud air conditioner. Seat a student with ADHD in a group. Place the student with good role models. In group teaching sessions, especially those conducted in a circle, seat the student across from you, rather than beside you.

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Where should ADHD kids sit in class?

What accommodations are helpful for students with ADHD? – The best way to determine your child’s needs in the classroom is to seek input from the teacher and any other support staff. No two students are the same, even if they have the same diagnosis. What works for one child won’t necessarily work for another. Several accommodations can be useful in the classroom setting:

• Preferential seating. ADHD students should sit in the front row (or close to the teacher), away from windows and other distractions.
• Oral and written instructions. Oral instructions should be reiterated and written down for the student.
• Break down assignments. Break down tasks into manageable pieces (for example, provide four math problems followed by four more until the assignment is complete.) For long term assignments, add specific dates to meet each goal.
• Highlight key points. Highlight important words in the directions on worksheets and tests to help the ADHD student focus.
• Use assistive technology. Use of technology in the classroom makes the learning process more visual for the ADHD student.
• Extended time on tests. Eliminate timed tests and/or provide extended time on tests.
• Copies of teachers notes. Some ADHD students benefit from a copy of the teacher’s lecture notes after the lecture to check for comprehension.
• Supervised organization. Many students with ADHD benefit from a supervised daily cleanout of the backpack and desk to learn organizational strategies. Use of a homework planner checked by the teacher each day and color-coded folders can also be beneficial.
• Manipulatives for understanding. Number lines, math manipulatives, word banks and color-coded spelling words (to help focus on difficult words) are useful for both classwork and tests.
• Provide checklists. Detailed lists for homework assignments, organization, study skills, and checklists of frequently made mistakes help ADHD students stay on task and avoid repetitive mistakes.

It’s reasonable to assume that your ADHD child will need help staying focused and organizing assignments. A few effecive strategies to incorporate at home:

• Whiteboard calendar. Using a large, visible calendar to transfer long-term assignments and projects to can enable the student to better track tasks.
• Clutter free workspace. ADHD students need a clutter-free and distraction-free workspace near an adult who can help him/her remained focused and also eliminate screens and other distractions.
• Parent-teacher communication log. A daily communication log helps parents and teachers communicate and work together for the benefit of the student.

Students with ADHD can enjoy a successful and meaningful learning experience in the classroom when they benefit from a team that works together. Collaborate with your child’s teacher and school guidance counselor, and seek outside help if necessary. With the right accommodations in place, your student will thrive in school.

1. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml
2. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/teaching-students-with-adhd-attention-deficit-disorder.htm
3. https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/understanding-individualized-education-programs
4. Douglas, Ann, “Parenting Through the Storm: Find Help, Hope, and Strength When Your Child Has Psychological Problems,” The Guildford Press, New York: 2017.
5. https://chadd.org/for-educators/overview/

Notes: This article was originally published December 9, 2016 and most recently updated September 15, 2022, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Katie Hurley, LCSW is the author of No More Mean Girls and The Happy Kid Handbook, Katie provides child and adolescent psychotherapy, family therapy, and parent education in her private practice. Dr. Asamoah is a career and transition coach, child and adolescent psychiatrist, and writer in Austin, TX.

How do you sit through class with ADHD?

• Posted at Oct 19, 2016
• Written by yellowbrick

For years, ADHD was thought to affect mainly elementary and high school-aged students. But increasingly, research has shown that ADHD continues to affect students into their college years and beyond. In fact, a 2010 study published in Psychiatry Research tracked 110 boys with ADHD over a 10-year period and found that 78 percent of them continued to have full or partial ADHD symptoms as young adults.

And the National Resource Center on ADHD estimates that 2 to 8 percent of college students suffer from ADHD. Unlike high school, which is usually a highly structured environment, college tends to feature longer classes, big blocks of unstructured time, and lots of independence — all of which can be especially challenging for students with ADHD who struggle to sit still, plan ahead or make decisions in the moment.

However, that doesn’t mean college is impossible for students with ADHD. By taking some extra steps and getting outside support, students with ADHD can have a rewarding college experience. Here are 10 things that may help:

Choose a College with Good Support Systems When researching colleges to attend, look for ones that cater to students with learning disabilities. Search for schools that offer smaller class sizes, interactive learning, alternative majors and other resources. There are also some schools that have programs specifically geared toward students with learning disabilities,

1. Tell Your Professors Once you’re at school, make sure to take advantage of the help that’s offered to you. One of the most important steps is to alert your professors at the beginning of each semester to your disability so they can make accommodations for you, such as giving you more time on tests or letting you listen to audio versions of text books. You can also ask the disabilities office to help communicate with your professors about your needs.
2. Sit at the Front or the Back Since students with ADHD have a harder time concentrating, some students find it helpful to sit at the front of the classroom to reduce distractions. Other students, however, like to sit in the back of the room so they can stand up to stretch or take a break if they need to.
3. Avoid Large Lecture Classes Sitting in a huge lecture hall and listening for an hour and a half might be especially challenging for a student with ADHD. Instead, when possible, try to take smaller classes that offer interactive learning experiences, such as group projects and discussions.
4. Join a Study Group Studying by yourself can be hard for students with ADHD, who may struggle with comprehending the material and want to give up. Studying with others can keep you motivated and when you don’t understand something, you can ask the other students in your group for help.
5. Use a Calendar Whether you use an old-school calendar or download a planning app for your phone, writing down all of your tasks for the day is key to staying focused. At the beginning of your day, try to plan out what needs to get done so you aren’t forced to have to make decisions on the fly that may overwhelm you.
6. Take Classes That Interest You The more interested you are in a subject, the more likely you’ll be able to pay attention and absorb the material, says Lucy Turek, Education and Career Specialist at Yellowbrick. “You’ll be a lot more successful in life if you do something you want to do than if you do something you think you’re supposed to do,” she says.
7. Take Classes Where You’re Active Not all classes in college require sitting in a classroom. Try classes such as dancing, geology, mountain climbing or other courses that get you outside and moving.
8. Get Enough Sleep and Eat Right If you’re not taking care of your body, you can’t function at your best. That’s why maintaining a regular sleep schedule and eating right are so important for thinking clearly. “Having that circadian rhythm, eating the appropriate amount and exercise is all important to maintaining good brain health,” says Dana Bender, an occupational therapist who is also director of Core Competence Services at Yellowbrick. Bender also says maintaining good mental health is also key, so seek help if you are depressed, anxious or have other mental health issues.
9. Stay Positive Although having ADHD can make studying and succeeding in college challenging, try not to get discouraged by your disability. “Have a positive viewpoint about college that it’s where you’re able to blossom and become your own person,” says Elizabeth Wade, an occupational therapist and Life Skills Specialist at Yellowbrick. “Remind yourself of what your dreams are and don’t give up on them.”

At Yellowbrick, we provide support for college students with ADHD through our Core Competence and Psychiatric Home Health Services. College students who live within a few miles of our Evanston location can receive in-home visits from staff who can help with time management, educational and career counseling, planning, organizing and executive functioning. Previous Post

What is sitting syndrome?

Get Up, Stand Up: Combatting “Sitting Disease” – Posted on January 26, 2022 by Ava Sharifi, This entry was posted in Staying Healthy and tagged sitting disease, Staying Healthy, Bookmark the permalink, Over the last few years of working from home, staying at home orders, and social distancing, many people are sitting even more than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sitting is something so commonplace we often don’t realize just how much of our day is truly spent sedentary. However, sitting for too long can have many negative impacts on health and longevity. A 2011 study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that prolonged sitting was associated with an increased risk of 34 chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Yikes! A typical American is sedentary for 21 hours out of the day. Including exercise and physical activity, people across the U.S. only spend approximately 3 hours out of the day simply standing. This phenomenon has been coined as “Sitting Disease,” which, broadly speaking, is defined as a condition of increased sedentary behavior associated with adverse health effects. You may be asking yourself, “But I work out every day, does this still apply to me?” Unfortunately, according to The Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the “Active Couch Potato” phenomenon states that even an active person who works out five times a week still faces the risks associated with “Sitting Disease” if they are living a sedentary lifestyle outside of the gym. A study at Mayo Clinic found that for every 2 hours spent sitting 352 calories are conserved as compared to someone standing. Dr. Liem emphasizes that “standing can help get some of that metabolic activity back up because standing causes contractions in your postural muscles in your back, hips, and knees to keep you upright.” The majority of Americans stare at a computer screen during the day, whether it be at an office desk or at home. Staring at your computer with poor posture causes the development of a hump at the top of your back, the shortening of your hip flexors, shortened abdominal muscles, a caving chest, weakened shoulders, arm pain, numbness and tingling in your extremities, and worst of all, traumatic pressure on the disks in your back.

What does your sitting posture say about you?

Sitting upright with good posture indicates that you’re confident and ambitious. If this is your typical posture when sitting down, you’re a strong and reliable person that people often turn to when in need of help. Despite sitting perfectly erect, you still know how to have fun and relax.

Which position to sit for success?

Office Vastu Shastra Guidelines – Prosperity at Work

According to Vastu Shastra for office, entrepreneurs should sit facing the north, east or north-east direction as it is considered auspicious. The sun rises in the east, making it conducive for financial growth. Marketing and sales professionals should sit in the north-west direction, in a way that the seat must face the north-east direction to ensure professionals are more proactive at work.

Business heads should occupy a cabin in the western part of the office, as per Vastu Shastra expert Ashna Ddhannak

Accounting professionals should sit in the south-east corner at work and face the north-east direction for increased wealth. Business heads should occupy a cabin in the western part of the office. They should face the north-east direction as it helps improve leadership skills. Vastu directions conducive to financial prosperity are north and northeast. The northern direction is ruled by Lord Kubera, the god of wealth. The north-east direction is governed by water, which is indicative of a person’s financial status, according to Vastu Shastra. Ddhannak suggests placing a mirror or a Kuber Yantra on the northern wall of the northern section of the office to ensure better financial opportunities.

The correct placement of decor items on your work desk will not only ensure financial prosperity but will also improve a person’s well-being Shape of Your Desk

Vastu Shastra for office prohibits the piling up of finished goods (for product manufacturers) in front of the office desk, in the north-east direction, as it creates hurdles. Finished goods should be placed in the north-west direction to ensure they are sold. Important financial documents should be locked away in a safe constructed in the south-west zone of the office. The safe should face the north-east direction to improve finances and overall prosperity. The reception area of the office creates a lasting impression for first-time visitors. Therefore, placing a bunch of French lavender flowers or green jade flowers on the reception desk will surround the space with positivity, thereby attracting prosperity. A four leaf clover plant can be placed at the entrance of the office as it invites good luck and fortune. Entrepreneurs must ensure that their table or desk is rectangular shaped, and made from superior quality wood. A glass or metal table in an irregular shape in the cabin promotes confusion, stress and detachment from work.

Entrepreneurs must ensure that their table or desk is rectangular shaped, and made from superior quality wood Creating Energy Abundance at Work

Ashna Ddhannak warns office goers, entrepreneurs and businessmen not to sleep at the desk as it creates negative energy. Keep your desks clutter-free. Keep papers and books locked away. Sort out documents according to their importance. Also, broken stationery should be discarded to remove obstacles to financial prosperity. Employees must ensure that their backs never face a door in their cabins as it will prohibit them from seeing people enter. This could foster distrust at work, according to Vastu Shastra. In order to win the trust of colleagues, place a picture with a mountain scenery behind the chair seat as it fosters support. You can also place a turquoise pyramid on the desk to foster better communication with peers.

Entrepreneurs should keep their desks clutter-free to ensure they don’t block financial prosperity : Vastu for Office: 10+ tips for success and prosperity at work

Why should I sit next to my friend in class?

Cons –

At the beginning of the year, you don’t know which students are best friends or worst enemies. You could end up putting the wrong people near each other. Then, you’ll have more management issues than you would have otherwise. The lack of seating charts can be advantageous to students who are introverts. When sitting next to friends, they might be more likely to speak up and participate in class. Students need to take responsibility for their own education. By choosing their own seats, you encourage them to practice discipline and self-control, They will have to focus on their studies even with their friends next to them. When you create a seating chart, some students will think that you’re picking favorites. It might create resentment and distrust. Since you want mutual respect in your classroom, this could be detrimental to the learning process.

Weigh the pros and cons. Whether you decide to have classroom seating arrangements or not, you should set strict rules for your students. Have high expectations, and hold them to it!

How do you sit next to your crush in class?

3 Ways to Sit Next to a Girl You Like in School

1. 1 Choose the right place. There are many places where sitting next to a girl that you like can be a great way to introduce yourself or get to know her further. Ideally you want to choose somewhere where you can initiate a conversation. Somewhere where she is likely to have an empty seat next to her.
   • Sit in the desk next to her before class.
   • Try finding a seat next to her in the cafeteria.
2. 2 Choose the right time. Timing is everything when talking to someone you have a crush on. You don’t want them to see you as a nuisance or an interruption. If the girl you like seems busy doing homework or talking to someone on her cellphone, this may not be the best time to approach her.
   • Before or after class is a good time.
   • Choose a seat next to her during study hall.

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3. 3 Ask if you can sit down. Show that you are courteous and thoughtful by asking her if you can sit next to her. You also want to make sure no one else has that seat claimed, like maybe a friend of hers, before you just jump into it.
   • “Is someone already sitting in this seat?”
   • “Do you mind if I sit here?”
   • If it turns out she was busy, apologize for interrupting.
4. 4 Respect her wishes if she says no. No woman is under any obligation to talk to you. Also, if she says this isn’t a good time or that she would rather sit alone, you’ll go further toward earning her respect by be being mindful of her wishes. Say something like, “Oh, okay. Maybe another time.” And then walk away graciously.
   • Don’t sit down anyway if she says no.
   • Realize that your crush may just be having a bad day or might be trying to focus on other things. Just because she said no today doesn’t mean she’ll say no next time.
5. 5 Don’t sit too close. When you sit next to your crush, be sure not to intrude on their personal space. You want to be close enough so that you can easily carry on a conversation but not so close that your knees touch when you turn to face her.
   • When choosing the desk next to your crush in class, don’t pull it closer to hers. She may find this to be an overly aggressive gesture. If you strike up a conversation and feel like the desks are too far apart to continue comfortably, you may want to slide it over a bit, but generally you should just leave it where it is.
   • If you take a seat next to her on a bench, like on the playground or at a table in the lunch room, leave several inches between you.
6. 6 Sit up straight. Don’t slouch. Sit with your spine straight and your shoulders back. Keep your head up. You might want to turn your body slightly so that you are facing your crush more directly.
7. 7 Don’t fidget. Tapping your fingers on the desk, shaking your legs, or constantly readjusting your glasses will just make you look nervous. It will also act as a distraction for your crush which will make it hard for her to focus on what you have to say.
   • Take deep breaths.
   • Fold your hands and rest them on the desk or table in front of you. If there is no table, rest them in your lap.
   • You don’t have to keep your hands still the whole time. Many of us use our hands to gesture while we speak, but when they are idle, keeping them folded will help keep you from fidgeting too much.
   • Take a quick inventory of your body every few minutes. Maybe while she is talking or when there is a small break in the conversation. Check in with yourself. If you feel your leg bouncing or an urge to keep moving around in your seat, take a deep breath and try to relax. Bring your focus back to your crush.

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1. 1 Have some ideas about what to talk about. Talking to a girl you like can be nerve-racking. You can ease some of the stress by having a few things already picked out to talk about before you sit down. If you are in the same class you could say something about the teacher or the content of the class itself. If you are at lunch or out with friends you might mention a popular movie or the antics of a friend you have in common.
   • “Professor Fink is so boring. I actually like physics, but he has a real knack for sucking all the fun out of it.”
   • “Have you seen the latest episode of Supernatural? It was riveting.”
   • “Today is my dog’s birthday. I’m so excited. Do you have any pets?”
2. 2 Introduce yourself. If you don’t already know the girl you like, introduce yourself as soon as you sit down. Tell her your name and maybe what you think of the class. Just a few sentences. “I’m Steven. I usually sit over by the Coke machine at lunch, but I thought I’d switch it up today.”
3. 3 Compliment her. When delivered with the right intentions, a sincere compliment can make anyone feel good. Avoid saying things about her body or comments that are lewd or sexual. Instead, tell her you like her shirt or her earrings. Even better, compliment her ideas while you guys are talking.
   • Be honest. An insincere compliment is usually easy to pick out and can have the opposite effect.
   • “I really like listening to you break down the thematic elements of the latest episode of Supernatural. It’s opening up the show in a new way for me.”
   • “Those are really nice earrings. Where did you get them?”
   • Avoid sexually charged compliments.
4. 4 Listen and ask questions. Don’t just monopolize the conversation. Sitting next to some you like is a great way to get to know them better. Ask her about herself. What kinds of things is she into? How is she liking the class so far? What does she usually like to get for lunch from the cafeteria?
   • If this is a first meeting, keep the questions light. Avoid extremely personal questions.
   • Smile and nod your head. Say things like, “I see.” “Yes.” or “I Understand.”
   • Make eye contact. This helps you appear confident. It also assures her that you are listening when she speaks and that you are engaged in what she has to say.
5. 5 Pay attention to her body language. If she is avoiding eye contact or leaning away from you, these may be indicators that she is not into the conversation. You can try redirecting the topic to something more neutral or inline with her interests. This may also be a sign that she needs more space or is feeling somehow intruded on. Try leaning back or scooting over a bit to give her more room.
   • If you notice her leaning forward, smiling, and/or making eye contact, then this is a good indicator that she is engaged in the conversation and having a good time. Keep it up!

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1. 1 Know when to stop talking. When class starts or an assembly in the gym begins, don’t try to keep the conversation going in a whisper. Instead, participate fully in whatever the activity is. This will show her that you have very clear boundaries and that you understand social norms.
   • You may be able to make a few more connections with some non verbal communication. If the teacher says something funny, you might look her way and make some eye contact while you laugh.
2. 2 Practice good hygiene. You’ll want to be at your best when you sit next to a person you like. The last thing you want is to come off charming and likable, only to have her become too distracted by any offensive odors coming from your body. Be sure to shower daily. Where deodorant and brush your teeth twice a day.
   • Carry mints with you. Have one before you sit down. Gum can work too, but it can sometimes be hard to talk while chewing gum. It can also be perceived as rude or gross.
   • Where a modest amount of cologne. Don’t dump too much on. It shouldn’t burn the nostrils of the person smelling it. A few dabs on your neck and wrists is fine.
3. 3 Tell her it was nice to meet her. End the conversation by thank her for her time. Tell her you really enjoyed meeting her (or getting to know her even better). Be specific. Reference something you guys talked about. “I had a really great time hearing your views on the television show Supernatural.” “Thank you for telling me that funny story about your cats.” “I understand this physics problem so much better now that we’ve had a chance to talk it out together.
4. 4 Ask if she would like to talk again.Be specific here as well. “I’d like to talk more about pet ownership with you if you are interested.” If you’ve just met, it might not be prudent to ask for her number right away. But you can try to set up an appropriate time to meet again. Or even better, ask if it would be okay if you sat next to her the next time the class meets. After you get to know her a little better, you can ask to call her sometime.
   • Be specific here as well. “I’d like to talk more about pet ownership with you if you are interested.”
   • Let her know when you’ll be here again. This puts the power in her hands to decide if she would like to sit next to you again. Which she totally will if you followed these steps.

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• Question How can I act confidently? Eddy Baller is a Dating Coach and the Owner of a dating consulting and coaching service, Conquer and Win, based in Vancouver, Canada. Coaching since 2011, Eddy specializes in confidence building, advanced social skills, and relationships. Conquer and Win helps men worldwide have the love lives they deserve. His work has been featured in The Art of Manliness, LifeHack, and POF among others. Have good posture! Maintaining good posture will not only make you look more confident, but it can increase your energy level and actually affect your hormones, making it more likely that you’ll be positive and clear headed while you speak.
• Question What should I do if a girl I like sits next to me? Eddy Baller is a Dating Coach and the Owner of a dating consulting and coaching service, Conquer and Win, based in Vancouver, Canada. Coaching since 2011, Eddy specializes in confidence building, advanced social skills, and relationships. Conquer and Win helps men worldwide have the love lives they deserve. His work has been featured in The Art of Manliness, LifeHack, and POF among others.

Ask a Question Advertisement This article was co-authored by, Eddy Baller is a Dating Coach and the Owner of a dating consulting and coaching service, Conquer and Win, based in Vancouver, Canada. Coaching since 2011, Eddy specializes in confidence building, advanced social skills, and relationships.

• Co-authors: 21
• Updated: December 13, 2021
• Views: 125,749

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 125,749 times.

“This article helped a lot. I’m sitting by my crush in homeroom, and I had no idea how to act at all! This nifty little article was amazing.”,”

: 3 Ways to Sit Next to a Girl You Like in School

Is it better to sit in the first row of first class?

Front Row – Row One in first class is the best option in most planes because you are at the very front of the plane. You have the most leg room and no one in front of you. You are also the first person to get off the plane, unless the door is behind the first class section, but even then you are one of the first people off.

Why I should sit in the back of the class?

A big choice for college students: Front, middle, or back row? Greg Markley By Greg Markley By the time students transition from high school to a college or university, their classroom seating preferences are fully inculcated. But suddenly they are in a room with 150 or more seats, and that’s as shocking as SEC teams having a 10-game regular season.

Well, not THAT shocking, but close. What if you come from Akron in Hale County, AL? When the classroom is full, you will be with the equivalent of half of the residents of your hometown. (Akron had 356 people as of the 2010 Census.) Don’t let it stop you from making good choices for seats in classes that do not observe assigned seating.

This column is about what are thought to be the promises and the faults of sitting at certain places in classrooms. Many of my childhood friends, including one who was in jail and another a successful engineer, sat in the back row. I sat up front as I had near-sightedness—but didn’t have any eyeglasses.

I don’t remember if I was afraid to wear glasses, as it was a stigma then. It could have been that my parents could not afford an ophthalmologist or the glasses, as we were a middle-class family with four kids. I got glasses when I received my driving license in 1974. It was nice to see more vivid colors and details.

According to Paul Adams, Ph.D, a dean at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA, students who sit in the front row have made an excellent choice. “It’s clear that students tend to do much better in class when they sit close to the front (the closer, the better) because they become more engaged in the class,” Adams explained.

1. Since my undergraduate days, I almost always found myself sitting up front.
2. One reason is that I usually read up for the class.
3. Students who are unprepared for class tend to seek shelter in the farthest back rows.
4. Another reason is that you can hear the professor better and take accurate notes.
5. You participate more in class discussions and develop better study habits.

This invariably leads to higher grades. Still another reason I prefer the front row, no matter how small or large the class, is that it is a “political” choice.” I know—people in the U.S. Army often told me they like being “away from the flagpole.” That is, away from a headquarters building where the colonels and sergeants major work.

If you are in a class of 60-plus students, you interact with your professor much less. However, if you are sitting in front and a professor notices you and how dedicated you are, it doesn’t hurt that you have consistently high grades. My undergraduate major is in political science, so I broadly conceive the term “politics”.

It is “a set of activities associated with making group decisions, or other forms of power relations between individuals.” When you sit up front, “what you know” and “who you know” are a good recipe for success. “The middle of the classroom is one of the worst places to sit,” wrote Robert Wallace, Ed.D.

in 2017 for Creators Syndicate. “In a classroom, a speaker’s eyes tend to go to the front of the room and the back. They don’t look at the center of a room as often or with the same amount of attention. Students who are shy and retiring, timid or have problems paying attention should avoid the middle of a room.” People who sit in the back of a classroom are stereotyped as trying to avoid attention or as sneaking a peek at their phones.

But that does not tell the whole story. Some students prefer the back because they have a job to be at 20 minutes after class and exiting the room from up front would take them longer. Others might sit in the back so they can discreetly discuss the lecture with friends nearby.

• That would draw too much attention up front.
• When you sit in the back of the classroom, you have a tendency to get distracted and watch other kids instead of the teacher,” offered Tina Parks, an education major at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA, in 2017.
• There’s also better eye contact with the teacher when you sit in the front row.” People like me, who sit in the front row in classes, are sometimes called “nerds” or “professor’s favorites.” That’s true in many cases.

But I did get plenty of As. There are also oversimplified images of students who elect to sit in the middle or back of a classroom. After all, it’s your choice that counts, not mine. Greg Markley has lived in Lee County for 20 of the past 24 years. An award-winning journalist, he has master’s degrees in education and history.

Does where a student sits really matter ?- The impact of seating locations on student classroom learning?

Main content – Abstract: This paper examines the impact of seating locations on student classroom learning. Specifically, it examines the impact of seating locations on a) student learning motivation, b) student-student and teacher-student relationships, c) the nature of different tasks and activities performed, and d) student classroom participation.

• Its impact on classroom participation is carefully discussed because active engagement and participation in the learning experience positively affects students’ learning while promoting the use of higher order thinking skills (Flynn, Vermette, Mesibov & Smith, 2009; McKeachie, 1990; Stronge, 2007).
• Student control, along with the implications related to seating locations in the classroom is also explained and discussed.

Research gaps in this area are identified. Full Text: Introduction It seems that there is a common belief that where students decide to sit within a classroom reflects upon their motivation, engagement, and willingness to learn (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Budge, 2000; Burda & Brooks, 1996; Daly & Suite, 1982; Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

• Though this belief has become an anecdotal comment, there are indicators suggesting that student location within the classroom affects academic performance (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Holliman & Anderson, 1986; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).
• Over the past decades, research has explored whether it is the good student who selects the seat at the front of the class or if the seat at the front of the class creates the good student (Burda & Brooks, 1996).

What teachers consider to be a good student can vary. Research shows that seating locations (1) are related to academic achievement and classroom participation (Budge, 2000; Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008; Weinstein, 1979). Seating locations concern how students are seated within the classroom environment.

They can vary in size and formation; however, they affect students’ learning conditions, and learning conditions impact their engagement and participation in the classroom (Budge, 2000; Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008). Research has begun to show that active engagement and participation in the learning experience positively affects students’ learning (Flynn, Vermette, Mesibov, & Smith, 2009; Stronge, 2007).

Classroom participation is associated with the generation and promotion of higher order thinking skills, and this cognitive stimulation provides students with a different environment which promotes positive and effective learning experiences (McKeachie, 1990).

1. Further, a pleasant classroom learning environment helps students learn better, and different seating locations provide students with access to learning resources, such as the teacher and clear lines of sight to the board (Douglas & Gifford, 2001; Jamieson, 2003; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).
2. Classroom seating arrangements (2) also have the ability to affect the communal environment within the room (Jamieson, 2003; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

Due to the large amount of time students and teachers spend in the classroom; overall comfort level of the environment is a factor that impacts student achievement and success. Students who find their classroom to be pleasant and comfortable generally demonstrate an increase in participation leading to higher achievement (Douglas & Gifford, 2001).

Therefore, the examination of the impact of seating locations on student classroom learning has important educational implications. This paper examines the impact of seating locations on student classroom learning. Specifically, it examines the impact of seating locations on a) student learning motivation, b) student-student and teacher-student relationships, c) the nature of different tasks and activities performed, and d) student classroom participation.

Its impact on classroom participation is carefully discussed because active engagement and participation in the learning experience positively affects students’ learning and promotes students’ use of higher order thinking skills (Flynn, Vermette, Mesibov & Smith, 2009; McKeachie, 1990; Stronge, 2007).

Student control, along with the implications related to seating locations in the classroom is also explained and discussed. Research gaps in this area are further identified. Impact of Seating Locations on Student Learning Motivation Although the access to different resources and increased monitoring provided by sitting at the front of the class pose students with a different environment than those sitting near the back of the class, student learning motivation and personalities traits play a big role in achievement and involvement in the learning experience (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Edwards, 2000).

It may be that students with higher motivation levels and a deeper interest in learning choose to sit near the front of the class, while those who sit farther away exhibit less motivation and interest in the learning experience. This may also be a perception that teachers hold towards their prospective students (Burda & Brooks, 1996).

• The learning experience received by students sitting near the front of the class is different than that received by students sitting farther away.
• A replicate study by Burda and Brooks (1996) demonstrated that students sitting near the front of the class demonstrate higher motivation and participation results on the NachNaff scale, which is a survey consisting of 30 items in which students had to choose between self-descriptive adjectives consistent with either a need for achievement or a need for affiliation (Sid & Lindgren, 1982).

The study by Burda and Brooks (1996) concluded that students sitting near the front of the class received much higher achievement scores than students sitting farther away. It further concluded that pre-existing personality traits motivate students to select seats near the front of the classroom (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Edwards, 2000).

• This may be due to their self-assurance in their ability to maximize the learning experience provided by sitting closer to the front.
• This may also be due to the ability to recognize the increase in access to learning resources and a clearer line of communication between the student and the instructor.

Aggressiveness and the need for success may also be motivating students to sit closer to the front of the classroom (Burda & Brooks, 1996). More passive learners may feel more comfortable farther away from the central location of the instructor. Such a seating location often guarantees less direct interaction and the ability to distance oneself (Burda & Brooks, 1996).

Directly related to motivation is student engagement in the learning process. An engaging environment provides students with an effective and enticing setting in which learning can occur (Vermette, 2009). Behavioural engagement is also directly related to students’ abilities to cope and relate to the subject matter being taught (Lan, Ponitz, Miller, Li, Cortina, Perry, & Fang, 2009).

A higher engagement level thus manifests itself in students’ capability to achieve much more academically. Increased involvement in learning tasks or communication with the teacher has the ability to promote learning, as greater exposure to the subject matter often increases understanding and retention (Leung & Fung, 2005; Weaver & Qi, 2005; Xia, 2006).

Higher participation levels can then lead to higher academic achievement which may be interpreted by educators as being more motivated and involved in the learning process. As mentioned above, such traits are commonly represented in students who desire to sit closer to the front of the classroom. Such a trend has the ability to influence teachers’ perceptions of students’ motivation and learning interests.

Impact of Seating Locations on Student-Student and Teacher-Student Relationships Different seating locations have the ability to influence teacher-student and student-student interaction (Marx, Fuhrer, & Hartig, 2000). As such, teachers are often led to have different perceptions about student locations within the classroom.

Different classroom seating arrangements create various social interaction opportunities. For example, non-linear seating arrangements such as semi-circles or a u-shape increase the possibility of face-to-face communication between students and teachers (Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006). Such seating arrangements promote positive student-student and teacher-student interaction.

Furthermore, non-linear seating arrangements, such as those above mentioned, often allow for students to have better access to learning resources, such as the teacher (Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008). This in itself can promote not only teacher-student interaction, but also better understanding and access to learning experiences.

1. Another aspect of social relationships within the classroom is those formed between students.
2. Student-student interaction affects classroom participation (Fassinger, 1996).
3. The implementation of different seating arrangements either reinforces or diminishes the availability of social interaction within the classroom.

Research has shown that where students are located within the classroom can influence the amount of non-academic activity, off-task behavior, and socialization they engage in (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Budge, 2000; Davis & Fox, 1999; Edwards, 2000; Granstrom, 1996; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

• Impact of Seating Locations on the Nature of Different Tasks and Activities Seating locations can also impact the nature of different tasks and activities used in the classroom.
• For example, using rows and columns greatly emphasizes the role of the individual.
• As such, one may conclude that using rows and columns as a seating arrangement increases on-task behavior and attention when students are to complete individual work (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Budge, 2000; Edwards, 2000; Hastings & Schwieso, 1995; Hofkins, 1994; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

This provides teachers with the ability to closely monitor students individually and, therefore, disruptive, non-individual interaction can be easily identified. Keeping in mind teachers’ needs, teaching styles also influence the seating arrangement provided to the students (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

• Therefore, though it would be beneficial for students, the type of activity often does not dictate the seating arrangement.
• Commonly, the instructor’s teaching style dictates the classrooms seating arrangement.
• If the focus of the activity is no longer individual but communal, non linear seating arrangements may be best.

As Wannarka & Ruhl (2008) note in their summary of empirical research on seating arrangements in the classroom, communication is greatly emphasized and increased when students sit in a semicircular seating arrangement. Though the row and column set-up is often implemented in teacher-centered classrooms, research illustrates that small group seating arrangements are often preferred when focusing on student-centered activities (Martin, 2002; Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

• Small groups as a form of seating arrangement often provides the instructor and the student the ability to interact more often; this promotes working with individuals more closely when compared to row and column seating arrangements (Kaya & Burgess, 2007; Patton, Snell, Knight, & Gerken, 2001).
• The mere comparison of these two different seating arrangements demonstrates how different behavior and activities are emphasized through each seating plan.

While a rows and columns seating plan greatly focuses on individualistic activities with minimal social interaction, small groups offer students greater interaction amongst peers while working together. While the rows and columns set-up emphasizes individuality, semi-circular arrangements, where students are able to have clearer lines of interaction, allows for communication to flourish and be nurtured.

1. Aside from semi-circular arrangements, small groups offer small social interaction with a set number of people (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Patton, Snell, Knight, & Gerken, 2001).
2. This may be more common when implementing group work activities.
3. As such, communication increases when students are placed in seating arrangements which focus on the group (Marx et al., 2000).

Promoting such interaction can be directly linked to communication between persons. The facilitation of communication, either among students or between the student and the teacher, has the ability to further promote learning opportunities. The inability to access desirable and interactive seating locations has the potential to negatively affect student learning, as it may limit the exposure to subject matter and the expression of thoughts and knowledge.

1. Impact of Seating Locations on Student Classroom Participation Seating arrangements themselves create various dynamics within the classroom.
2. The actual seating arrangement layout can influence student control in the classroom.
3. The impact of seating locations within the classroom and how students self-select different seating locations are also related to participation levels in the classroom.

Lastly, where one sits in the classroom, the front of the class or the back of the class has the potential to affect student participation. Student Control Seating arrangements can help control disruptive and easily distracted students (Hastings & Schwieso, 1995; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

• The notion of using the environment to help control or manipulate behavior is not a new concept.
• The creation of environmental and physical structures around humans has the potential to greatly mould one’s behavior.
• As Foucault (1972) explored, control over others is possible without physical restraints or implications.

One can further apply this concept to the use of different classroom seating plans to help prevent disruptive behavior within the classroom. The larger the class size is, the greater the need for control. As such, the size of the class and the room teachers are presented with are directly related to how the classroom is to function (Weaver & Qi, 2005).

• Management of such conditions will pose different conditions for both educators and students.
• Aside from teacher control of space, students may also feel the need to delineate spatial constraints affecting seating selection and arrangement.
• Creating a sense of personal space can effectively control social interaction within the classroom setting (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).

Though the goal is not to constrain students’ freedom, seating plans have proven to encourage certain types of behavior, which may be best suited to the different learning experiences teachers wish to provide their students (Betoret & Artiga, 2004; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

• In addition to the ability to influence behavior, seating arrangements have the possibility to influence movement within the classroom.
• Though this is a subtle form of control, seating arrangements can be utilized to encourage desirable behavior and interaction while limiting the opportunity for misbehavior (Marx et al., 2000).

Additionally, studies have demonstrated that students’ location within the classroom can influence the amount of non-academic activity students engage in affecting students’ social behavior and on-task engagement (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Budge, 2000; Davis & Fox, 1999; Edwards, 2000; Granstrom, 1996; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Wannarka & Ruhl, 2008).

Non academic peer interaction has the increased ability to negatively affect students’ academic achievement as the limitation of education distracters promotes increased retention and understanding (Ahmed & Arends-Kuenning, 2006). As mentioned above, communication is a key component to the learning experience.

It becomes clear that different seating arrangements allow for increased control and restraint of student interaction and movement. One may also further analyze the ability for increased eye-contact with all students in more open, non-linear seating arrangements.

An unobstructed face-to-face visual line has the ability to further control student behavior (Marx et al., 2000). Seating arrangements which promote eye-contact, such as a semi-circle or a u-shape, will assist the instructor in being aware of student movement while still being able to promote social interaction between students (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).

Therefore, not only can teachers have more awareness of student activities, perceptions about students may also be created dependent upon the seating location they choose to select. This aspect can also be included when the teacher selects the seating location for each student.

1. Assigned seating location may also keep in mind how teachers wish to control students.
2. Eeping a visible line of sight on students will allow for the teacher to have additional input on that student’s activities and engagement level within the class.
3. Whether the students select their classroom locations or the teacher selects the students’ seats, different perceptions of student motivation, involvement, and engagement may be at play in the decision making process (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).

In addition to communication and physical restriction of student movement, teacher selected seating arrangements and classroom organization further reflect on the unspoken control educators have over their students. Seating arrangements have been directly linked to the instructors’ teaching style, which is not guided by the students (Sztejnberg & Finch, 2006).

• As explored above, different arrangements have the ability to affect teacher-student interaction (Marx et al., 2000).
• Though teachers may hold different perceptions about student locations within the classroom, much of the conditions students are presented with are provided to them by the instructor.

Impact on Attendance and Grades A recent study by Perkins and Wieman (2005) demonstrated significant results in which changing student location within a university class established a difference in attendance, performance, and achievement. In this study the students’ performance and attendance was noted and compared to where they were located within the classroom.

Halfway through the course, the students were required to change seats, bringing those who sat at the back closer to the front and those who sat at the front closer to the back of the class. What was found was that the further the original seating location was to the front of the class the lower the average attendance (Perkins & Wieman, 2005).

Other analyses indicated that the likelihood of achieving an A as a grade decreased as the distance from the front of the class increased (Perkins & Wieman, 2005). Benedict and Hoag (2004) reported similar results. In their study, analyzing seating preferences and seating location and their relation to course performance, a preference to sit closer to the front of the class translated into a decreased likelihood of receiving a low grade.

• Students who preferred to sit at the front of the class demonstrated a higher likelihood of receiving a B or an A as a grade than those sitting closer to the back of the class.
• Additionally, students who prefer to sit closer to the back of the class had a higher likelihood of receiving a D or an F when compared to those who preferred to sit near the front of the class.

In this study students were forced to change their seating location. Students were either moved closer to the front or farther back. Results show that students who are forced to the front demonstrated an increase in likelihood of receiving a higher grade in the course (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

Being forced to the sides of a fan-shape lecture hall reduced the probability that a student would receive a B or an A as a grade (Benedict & Hoag, 2004). These results suggest that moving students forward in a class may override the negative effects associated with sitting at the back of a classroom (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

Overall, both studies demonstrate how different seating locations have the possibility to affect student attendance and grades. Some of the factors affecting learning experiences and seating selection include student motivation levels, personality traits, the ease of communication, availability of seats, and proximity to learning resources, such as the teacher.

1. Although these factors influence the learning experience, one’s ability to recognize such factors will also affect learning success.
2. Teachers may be aware of such conditions, but students are not always cognisant of these conditions.
3. Whether teachers are aware of such a fact may greatly affect their subsequent perceptions of the students they teach.

Seating locations are often used by teachers as an indicator of student interest and motivation (Daly & Suite, 1982), even though the students may not recognize this. Keeping with this belief, the ability to self-select seating will further grant the students the ability to demonstrate their feelings towards learning.

Nevertheless, teachers often have the ability to select seating arrangements. Where students are assigned to sit may then be a revelation of the teachers’ interpretations of their student, which may not necessarily be accurate. Student Selected Seating Location There appears to be a strong relationship between where a student selects to sit and his/her subsequent involvement in the class.

Proximity of seats to the front of the class or to the source of learning, most commonly the teacher, will greatly vary on the format of seating arrangement currently being implemented. Educators must keep in mind self-selected seating locations will hold different circumstances than when teachers select students’ seats.

After all, when students get to select their own seats a sense of autonomy is provided to the student. However, this freedom to select one’s own seat may prove to be an indicator of the student’s motivation and interest in the class (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Marx et al., 2000). The Front of the Class versus the Back of the Class One may interpret a student’s decision to sit near the front of the class as an indicator of deeper interest in the class and to secure that student’s ability to participate in the class activities.

If this is the case, then student personality is a key motivator in the selection of seating location. Earlier research has indicated that students who choose to sit near the front of the class, or in central seats, more often exhibit creative, assertive, and competitive personality traits (Totusek & Staton-Spicer, 1982).

The most prevalent trend suggests that students who sit front and center within the classroom will participate more than those who sit at the back; and so, they are perceived to be better students (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Burda & Brooks, 1996; Daly & Suite, 1982; Perkins & Wieman, 2005; Weaver & Qi, 2006).

As such, student participation is related to the teacher’s impressions of the student. Other studies have noted that students who self-select seats near the front of the class also exhibit a sense of increased attentiveness (Hillmann, Brooks & O’Brien, 1991).

One can argue that such student traits are desirable in the educational field and later when entering the employment field. Thus one may conclude that students who select to sit near the front of the class may recognize the need to obtain learning conditions which will best allow them to achieve their desired results.

The opposite may be concluded for those sitting near the back of the class. However, other conditions will also affect the availability of such desirable seating locations. Students who enter the classroom first may be in the position to select desirable seats first; thus, those who are unable to come first may be left with seats they do not desire but are left with no other option (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

Diminished access from desirable seats has the potential to place students in a position where they are left with undesirable seating location which increases psychological and physical pressures in the learning environment (Xia, 2006). Evidently, this is a factor to keep in mind. The availability of limited resources within the classroom, including seating location, should not be neglected.

Keeping this in mind, one may wish to consider seat preference versus actual seating location. Benedict and Hoag (2004) noted that seat preference versus actual sitting location was an indicator of academic motivation and achievement. As such, seating preference may be an indicator of learning motivation and interest.

1. Aside from being an indicator of student motivation and interest, seat selection within the classroom can also be linked to territoriality and the desire to feel comfortable in the learning environment.
2. A study by Kaya and Burgess (2007) examined the tendency for seat preference and territoriality within the college level classroom.

Upon having labeled each respective seat with a number, a Likert scale based survey was conducted to determine which seats students preferred and what their feelings were about seat territoriality within their classrooms. Student seating preference was also noted within this survey.

1. The results of this study demonstrated how exterior seats are more desirable due to commonly being more spacious (Kaya & Burgess, 2007).
2. The more items a student may need to have present during class can influence his/her subsequent seating location decision.
3. Sitting in the front and center may now pose difficulties and discomfort which can also detract from the learning experience.

This study is significant as it exposes another factor driving student seat selection. The study conducted by Ruoff and Schneider (2006) illustrates yet another aspect of seating location within the classroom. This study focuses more on the personal and social reasoning behind seat selection versus the accessibility to learning resources or the students’ motivation to learn.

The peer conditions presented within the classroom influence not only seating selection but also the amount of interaction and participation elicited by students, all factors which affect teachers’ perceptions of students (Weaver & Qi, 2005). Seat selection is seen in this study as a result of social and repetitive actions.

Seating is seen as an interactive process, where the decisions of the individual are influenced by the decision of those before him or her (Ruoff & Schneider, 2006). Social pressures may in fact influence students’ seat selection. There may be a fear to be perceived as anti-social or pressure may be felt to join the larger group (Ruoff & Schneider, 2006).

Again, the topic of convenience and comfort becomes a factor in this study. Individuals who have access to seats closer to the exit often select these seats. Such seats often offer the student more comfort and less constriction when attempting to leave the class. Nevertheless, such a location can also be interpreted as giving the student an easy way out of the class due to his/her disengagement and disinterest in attending the full class period.

The process of selecting seats within the classroom poses an interesting situation in itself. Teacher perspectives towards students and where they select to sit may also pose an interesting dynamic in the learning environment. The availability of resources, in this case the information the teacher offers students, becomes very important for the success and growth of students.

The main way to convey this information is through communication. Communication occurs in many forms; some of the most prevalent include verbal, written, and illustrated. Nevertheless, the most common within the classroom is still verbal communication. Identified Research Gaps Thus far research on the topic of seating arrangements appears to provide educators and researchers alike with a gap of studies.

In more recent years there appears to be a resurgence of focus on the topic of seating arrangements and how they affect students’ learning outcomes. Research most often explores what type of student chooses to sit in different locations within the classroom (Benedict & Hoag, 2004; Daly & Suite, 1982).

• Other common topics of research discuss the conditions surrounding students which impact student academic achievement, including seating location within the classroom (Burda & Brooks, 1996; Lan et al., 2009; Stronge, 2007).
• Though not abundant, there are studies exploring the direct impact of seating locations and the consequential impact such a change has on academic achievement and grades (Perkins & Wieman, 2005).

Although there are some studies directly related to seating arrangements, educational research regarding seating arrangements is not abundant. A direct connection between seating arrangements and student participation is very scarce. Identified research gaps include topics such as an in depth analysis of different seating arrangements and how they are most effective, how teacher perspective of students differs depending on where students choose to sit, who makes the decision as to where students sit: teachers or students; and how such a decision affects student participation and academic achievement.

• The majority of the studies discussed within this paper focus on seating arrangements within the postsecondary and secondary educational level, thus leading one to question how these topics affect students at the elementary level.
• In addition to the above mentioned research gaps, there is a profound scarcity of studies exploring the impact of cultural factors on seating arrangements and subsequent student participation and academic achievement.

With the increase of internationalization of education (Bond, Jun, & Huang, 2003, 2006), the field of education needs to continuously expand its understanding and implementation of different learning environments. Different cultures are increasingly interacting thus the need to better understand and interpret the value of education for the different parties involved becomes imperative.

• Therefore, future studies need to provide researchers, educators, and other alike with an insight into how different cultural backgrounds may differ in regards to the implementation and reaction to different seating arrangements within the classroom.
• Conclusion The classroom environment is a very diverse and highly dynamic setting.

Teacher perceptions about students are often influenced by the conditions which are presented to them. One of the most obvious and constant factors is that of seating location. In turn, students’ seating locations are greatly affected by the seating arrangements provided to them.

• Different seating conditions also present themselves in different countries.
• Though seating arrangements such as rows and columns, small groups, u-shape, and semi-circles are often used throughout the world, pedagogical beliefs tend to influence and dictate the most commonly used seating plan.
• For example, North America is moving towards the promotion of small groups within the classroom (Lan et al., 2009).

This may be easily attained due to smaller class sizes and larger classroom areas. In Asian countries like China, the prominent seating arrangement is still that of rows and columns, with all students facing forward towards the teacher (Xia, 2006). As one can imagine, the subsequent teaching methods implemented within each classroom setting will have to be different.

1. Another factor influencing the seating arrangement is the nature of the task at hand and the teacher’s instructional style.
2. Depending on what management style the instructor focuses on very different seating arrangements will be considered.
3. In more traditional settings, where rows and columns are emphasized, control and individualistic traits are customary.

Non-linear seating arrangements, such as a u-shape and semi-circle will tend to promote communication and social cohesion. Regardless of which arrangement is present in the classroom, where a student sits will affect the resources and the learning experience the student is exposed to, such as being able to see and hear the teacher (Benedict & Hoag, 2004).

1. Teacher perceptions of student learning and academic involvement can be greatly affected by where a student decides to sit.
2. It may be ill advised to rely on such first impressions to influence the teacher-student relationship.
3. After all, learning is a covert action which needs overt evidence for others to recognize it (Hastings & Schwieso, 1995; Vermette, personal communication).

Therefore, even though a student may sit in a front and center location, appearing to be motivated and engaged, the student may still not learn. The conditions within the classroom are diverse and unique. As such, it is important to analyze and explore which perceptions teachers may have about how classroom seating arrangements will impact students’ classroom learning.

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• Assistant Professor of TESOL and Assessment Niagara University Vince Rinaldo, Ph.D.
• Associate Professor of Education Niagara University (1) Seating location depicts where a student sits within the classroom.
• 2) Seating arrangements refer to the layout of desks and chairs within the classroom.
• This reflects both where students choose to sit and where they are assigned to sit.

Seating arrangements identified in this paper include rows and columns, u-shape, semi-circle, fan-shape, and clusters, also known as small groups. Seating arrangements, seating plans, and seating layout may be used interchangeably in this paper. Fernandes, Amanda Careena^Huang, Jinyan^Rinaldo, Vince Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 International Journal of Applied Educational Studies

Should we sit on floor and study?

Best Position to Study on the Floor – There are many benefits of sitting on the floor as it boosts flexibility and mobility in your body. If you are studying on the floor, taking an incorrect posture can lead to back issues. Here is how you can find the best position to study on the floor: Study while sitting cross-legged on the floor, make sure that you shift your weight on your hips and not on the feet.