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Response to Readings: Chapter 3 and Reading from Home Page
The text improved my knowledge related to effective classroom engagement, potential
challenges I might experience, and how to address the issues related to classroom arrangement.
Preparing the classroom, arranging seating, and all the required supplies and materials seem
challenging. I learned that different settings or class sizes require different kinds of equipment,
and every class has different challenges or distractors. The class should be arranged keeping in
mind the main activities in the classroom. However, it is important the class does not seem
congested, and as a teacher, you can move around the class easily. Initially, as a new teacher, it
would be important that supplies and required materials are arranged and easily accessible.
Otherwise, it might lead to chaos.
The concept that caught my attention is that teachers can also place their desks in the
back, and it is a more appropriate placement of your desks if you want your students to come to
your desk individually to discuss because, in the back, it will not disturb other students. The
chapter provided detailed information on how I should arrange desks and other flexible seating
and even add other items of interest in the classroom. Sometimes, while sharing material with the
students, some need to be returned while some students can take it with them; such activities
need to be monitored and organized. Additionally, frequently used classroom materials should
also be readily accessible.
The main challenge I found while reading chapter three is organizing the class when there
is more than one teacher sharing the classrooms. You cannot change the arrangement in every
class. The techniques needed to address this challenge were very explanatory in the chapter. For
instance, it is stated that you can have “a designated space on a wall or board where you can post
assignments or announcements for your class and leave them up for several weeks” (Emmer &
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Evertson, 2022). Additionally, I learned how classroom design and arrangement are different for
language learners as they might need extra support or different or minimal instruction for better
comprehension of the tasks or lectures.
Additionally, on the home page, the description of the five dimensions of the classroom
provided information regarding the events that might take place in the classroom, such as
situations that might require immediate attention or unpredictable events. In conclusion, the
chapter and home page provided a detailed explanation of seating arrangements in different
situations, depending on the class strength and requirements. However, the passage about the
potential challenges was very informative and provided strategies to work in classrooms that
different teachers share.
