Illustration by RJ Matson; Debate photos courtesy of families

Should You Pick Where You Sit in Class?

April 8, 2019

At the start of each school day, most students head straight to their assigned seats. But in a growing number of classrooms, kids are allowed to sit anywhere they want. In some schools, that means yoga mats, picnic benches, or couches instead of regular desks!

This type of setup is called flexible seating. Teachers who use it in their classrooms say it makes learning more enjoyable for their students. They also say their students are more comfortable in class, which keeps them calm and focused.

However, opponents of flexible seating say it isn’t the best way to run a classroom. They argue that students need structure to concentrate and too much change is distracting. Plus, they point out that traditional assigned seating cuts down on talking, since kids can’t choose to sit next to their friends.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

My teacher lets us choose our seats during writing and reading classes. We have different types of seating, like standing desks and beanbag chairs. I like being able to move around and try different seats. If I need to concentrate, I pick a quiet area. But if I want to share ideas, I choose a social section.

Choosing our own seats creates a sense of community. It’s fun to get to sit next to a lot of different classmates throughout the year.

In my class, we have traditional assigned seating. Instead of wasting time picking a seat, we go straight to our desks and get to work. That makes it easier for my teacher to monitor kids in my class. If a group of kids gets too loud, she can change their seats.

Besides, if kids pick their own seats, they’ll just sit with their friends. With assigned seating, no one gets left out. I’ve even made new friends when I was assigned to sit near kids I didn’t usually talk to.