Whether it is a preschool, a kindergarten, or a commercial school, it matters when it comes to the classroom layout. A classroom layout can have a great impact on the students when it comes to learning. How you design your commercial school classroom layout and seating arrangement can set the scene and mood for your classroom.
Students can easily get bored in a boring classroom. When designing your commercial school classroom layout, consider what kind of learning you want to occur in the classroom. Do you want a social learning or individual learning environment? Do you want a teacher-centered or student-centered learning environment?
There is no best commercial school classroom layout, and each layout has its pros and cons. in this article, we will recommend a few major commercial school classroom layouts for you to consider. We will also explain how each layout connects to learning theory.
Commercial School Classroom Layout #1 – Table Groups Layout
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Table group layout is quite common in the early years. You can easily find it in many schools and tuition centers. This can be an ideal classroom layout if you need a group or project-based discussion. But this layout tends to fade away as teaching styles move away from hands-on and play-based learning.
The table group layout is great if you are looking for a more interactive or hands-on lesson. It also encourages social interaction, which is ideal for group work and project-based learning. But one thing is that it can be hard to manage student behavior. This is a more free-flowing classroom layout; if you need help controlling your student’s behavior, you wouldn’t want to use this layout.
If you decide to use this layout, explain the rules to your students so they clearly understand how they are supposed to behave in the classroom. You can consider getting the students to create group names for their tables to create a sense of belonging and manage your classroom with a ‘table group’ reward system. You can also easily share resources by sharing one resource pack per table.
Those who consider themselves sociocultural theorists tend to prefer table groups layout. Their theory highlights that social interaction is part of learning development. By teaching the content in groups, students hear other people’s opinions and learn from each other. They get to understand more of the content.
Commercial School Classroom Layout #2 – Table Rows Layout
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Table rows layout is one of the traditional classroom layout styles in commercial school. It is designed for teacher-centered instruction. It is commonly used in commercial schools, schools, and exam halls. It can emphasize individualistic working conditions and maximize teacher control. It also benefits students as they have a clearer view of the front of the classroom for teacher instructions.
It is best for individual student work and exams. Students can concentrate on their work, the board at the front of the classroom, and the teacher as they will be facing the front. This layout doesn’t encourage social learning as they do not have shared desk space or peers directly facing them. But teachers can control this environment more easily as students are restricted from interacting with one another.
Teachers will have to bear in mind where they are standing. Standing in the front or middle is best for seeking students’ attention. Students will tend to go quiet and focus on you when you walk towards your regular ‘teaching spot.’ There aren’t many options to let students interact socially, and you can try out the think-pair-share method for social interaction. This layout suits teachers who prefer teacher-centered environments, as students can observe a teacher modeling content before attempting the tasks in solitude at their desks.
Commercial School Classroom Layout #3 – Workstations
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Workstations is a commercial classroom layout that is getting popular. They are associated with an open learning space trend, which you have not seen much in the past decade. It is an environment where it can be very flexible, free-flowing, and loose. The design allows students to work on different tasks depending on their station.
If you are going for project-based discovery learning, the workstation layout works best for your classroom. Each workstation can have a different shape and structure. You can create projects that revolve around the day’s theme. But the students won’t get a permanent personal workspace. Students who prefer personal private space will struggle in this environment.
In this environment, you will need to set strict guidelines for students to know when to stop their work and pay attention to the teacher. You can give a cue, such as a clapping sequence or ringing a bell, to catch their attention and focus on you.
Students get to learn through discovery learning, exploration, and project-based tasks. They can engage more in hands-on experimentation. Students can explore various tasks and experiment throughout the day with workstations. They can be more creative rather than following the teachers’ instructions.
Commercial School Classroom Layout #4 – Circle Layout
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Another commercial school classroom layout that can be used is the circle layout. It is designed in a circle that is completely closed. All students will be facing one another.
It is uncommon to see this layout in the classroom, but the space in the middle can be a focal point, and it will be good if you need science demonstrations and student-curated performances in the middle space. It will be a great layout if you need a discussion for the whole class. With all students facing each other, any tasks can be discussed across the classroom. It can be a great learning space when no one is at the head of the discussion. Teachers can also stand in the middle to give lectures.
But one disadvantage is mobility. You must ensure that the furniture is flexible and movable, as teachers and students may want to enter the middle area constantly. You will need to pull one desk away to provide access. It can also be used for computer-connected classrooms. As it is not in a row, students won’t be able to see too many other students’ computer screens, it can minimize distractions, and they can learn more effectively.
Commercial School Classroom Layout #5 – Rows & Columns
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Another traditional commercial school classroom layout. Rows and columns layout was nearly universal up until the mid-20th Century. It is designed to separate students apart, so they can’t see or communicate with one another. It can help students to engage more in learning and minimize distractions.
You will usually find this layout during exam periods. It is because it will be hard for students to communicate, and they can’t look at each other’s work. It helps to prevent them from cheating. If it is used for lessons, it is hard for social learning.
Here are some incredible classroom layout for you to set up for your commercial school. Consider what kind of teaching you would be using in your school before deciding which classroom layout to use.
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