I’ve missed mixing up my seating chart so much the last two years. I used to carefully pick where kids sat, pairing them with someone I felt could be mutually beneficial. I would take surveys on where kids preferred to sit and work painstakingly to make what I felt was the optimal chart.
And then Covid.
For the last two years I’ve had my kids pick their seat and stay there.
But today I decided it was finally time! I haven’t had to contact trace in months, and since we started our REVIEW UNIT (!!!) today, I felt it was the perfect time to rotate seats.
Instead of working painstakingly on a seating chart though, since the kids sit at tables now, I just had the computer randomly generate six different groups (for each of my six tables) for each hour. I told the kids I would switch up their chart every one to two weeks.
In the Beforetimes, I would often create a seating chart to keep my class quieter. But that was the opposite of what I wanted for this. I told the kids I am switching up their groups every week or two because I feel it is so important to learn how to learn from other people and to learn how to help other people. I promised them that every time we switch groups, we would start with a short game to help break the ice a little.
To be honest, though, I was scared a round of Left, Right, Center wouldn’t cut it. I was terrified I’d hear crickets all day.
But in my gut, I knew we had to try. We have to try to reclaim the things we loved about school before this pandemic changed so much.
And while I braced myself for crickets, I instead heard fabulous collaboration every hour. I heard “Would you like to see my work?” and “Could I see your work?” I heard “Do you want some help?” and “Could you help me out?”
I should never have doubted.
What a joy to be their teacher.
Their sense of collaboration, discourse, and productive struggle will impact this world for the better.
And—they make friends with everyone. It’s something we adults could take note of.
one good thing 