RUNNING HEAD: Classroom Disruption and Seating Charts

The Impact of Student Seating on Classroom Disruption in the Urban School Environment

EDI 685 Action Research

Brian Wiggins

Grand Valley State University

The Impact of Student Seating on Classroom Disruption in Urban Schools 2

Introduction

Working in any classroom, there are consistently challenges that impact the classroom

environment. These challenges can be magnified within an urban school as teachers are working

with a student body that is diverse in both cultural and economic backgrounds. The clashing of a

diverse student body can create a dynamic, productive classroom environment or it can cause

numerous disruptions that cost fellow students and teachers valuable class time. Over the course

of four weeks, research was conducted as to how the classroom was impacted by disruptions

through the implementation of new seating arrangements for students.

Keywords: disruption, seating chart, social interaction, urban schools

Literature Review

The study of the arrangement of students within the classroom is a topic that has

undergone extensive research. Placing it within the urban environment produced significantly

less information, suggesting the need for further research. According to Rachel Wannarka and

Kathy Ruhl, the seating arrangement of students (by way of either seating chart of physical

location) has the ability to help prevent problematic behavior that decrease the attention of

students as well as instructional time by the teacher (Wannarka, Ruhl, 2008, 89). Wannarka and

Ruhl also point out that if teachers are able to place an emphasis on the stimulus conditions of

students (where they are seated, who they are seated by), they can prevent problems that impact

instruction time before they occur (Wannarka, Ruhl, 2008, 89). This can be especially

problematic in a more diverse classroom as these environments (Gremmen, Van Den Berg,

Segers, Cillessen, 2016, 751). Teachers are the ones that decide—within the classroom—who

students are able to interact with. While this is crucial if teachers are looking to resolve a

problematic social situation in the class, a student’s location also plays into their academic
The Impact of Student Seating on Classroom Disruption in Urban Schools 3

development and potential (Gremmen, Van Den Berg, Segers, Cillessen, 2016, 751). Location of

students is also tied to; encouraging student-teacher interaction, reducing distractions,

aggression, downtime, and classroom productivity (Trussel 2008).

Another element of research was the implications for teachers and their ability to manage

a classroom without a seating plan in place. The implementation of a seating plan is, “One of the

most important actions you can take in the initial stages of your teaching relationship with a

class” (Bennet, 2013). This allows for a teacher to take an assertive, but not overly aggressive

role within the class (Bennet, 2013). Bennett also states the students that require the most

direction should be placed as near to the teacher as possible in order to limit distraction and

disruptive behavior. This is also an important element for students’ ability to function within the

classroom as a teacher’s discretion on where and how to place students has an impact on the

social network of students (Farmer, Lines, Hamm, 2011). The sheer physical distance between

students can lower their social perceptions of each other and limit student control over their

environment (Pettigrew, 1998). While a teacher wants to limit disruption in the classroom, they

do not want to limit the classroom to the extent where there is no comfortability to discuss

amongst students. While it is important to create an environment that is productive, a teacher can

also create an environment that limits student discussion and interaction to the point where it

becomes detrimental to the class (Michelini, Passalcquia, Cusimano, 1976, 179).

Methods

This research was part of an ongoing process throughout the course of the semester in

order to create a more effective classroom environment. In order to dive into the issue at hand,

four weeks of data collection took place; both consisting of two, two-week periods of time. The

first two weeks consisted of students being allowed to sit wherever they chose throughout the
The Impact of Student Seating on Classroom Disruption in Urban Schools 4

room. The remaining weeks consisted of students being placed in different seats at the discretion

of the teacher in order to best meet learning and social capabilities and needs.

The process of information was in two parts for each segment of the research process.

The first step was to record how many classroom disruptions were created over the course of

four class periods in a span of ten days. The way in which a disruption was defined was any

point in which the teacher had to pause and refocus the class. An additional measure was the

amount of total class time lost due to disruptions. This was a running time calculated throughout

the course of the day. The third and final measure was an observation of data between the two

summative assessments that bookended the period of research. Social groups of students were

monitored in order to best appropriate the necessary changes to the classroom structure.

Findings

Research found that the placement of students within the classroom by discretion of the

teacher significantly impacted many aspects of the classroom environment. These factors

included disruptions, and testing scores. Previous studies conducted with respect to classroom

disruption being impacted by the placement of students in the classroom, especially, within the

urban classroom environment. The first two weeks of research and observation where students

were freely sitting about the room yielded data that suggested a change should be made. On

average, fifteen classroom disruptions were made throughout the course of the four class periods

being observed. These disruptions frequently came from students having conversations in social

groups. Between the four classes over a ten-day period, an average of fifteen minutes was lost in

total instructional time each day through getting the class refocused. As a result, summative

assessment scores averaged over the classes came to a 70.5-percent, with the median scores

between the four classes coming out to a 68.75-percent.

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Following the initial two-week period of research, changes were made to the seating

placement for students in the classroom. The factors that determined where students were placed

was based on social and academic factors at the discretion of the teacher. Over the course of the

second two-week period, there was a reduction in the average amount of disruptions in the class

dropped from an average of thirteen per day to five. The results correlated with the amount of

instructional time lost per day as it also dropped from fifteen to just over six minutes. The

additional class time without disruptions correlated with an increase in average summative

assessment scores through a 1.5-percent increase.

Discussion

Limitations that occurred in this study were mainly time. This study is such a small

sample that it is difficult to say whether or not there is a true correlation between students seating

and test scores. If possible, it would have been preferred to take this research over the course of

an entire semester or school year with students. A suggestion for future research would be to

explore this topic over the course of a year rather than a week.

Conclusion

Through research it was found that there is a correlation between seating and classroom

disruptions in the classroom. This is especially true in the urban environment. Teachers need to

use discretion and understanding of students in order to maximize productivity and limit

disruption especially in an urban environment. By understanding this, teachers can create a

classroom environment that is conducive for all learners regardless of social or academic ability.
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References
Bennett, T. (2013). Behaviour - without a seating plan you're a sitting duck. The Times
Educational Supplement Scotland, (2344), 32.

Farmer, T. W., McAuliffe Lines, M., & Hamm, J. V. (2011). Revealing the invisible hand: The
role of teachers in children's peer experiences. Journal of Applied Developmental
Psychology, 32(5), 247-256.

Gremmen, Mariola (12/01/2016). "Considerations for classroom seating arrangements and the
role of teacher characteristics and beliefs". Social psychology of education (1381-2890),
19 (4), p

Michelini, R. L., Passalacqua, R., & Cusimano, J. (1976). Effects of seating arrangement on
group participation. The Journal of Social Psychology, 99(2), 179-186.

Pettigrew, T. F. (1998). Intergroup contact theory. Annual Review of Psychology, 49, 65-85.

Trussell, R. P. (2008). Classroom universals to prevent problem behaviors. Intervention in School

and Clinic, 43, 179–185.

Wannarka, R. and Ruhl, K. (2008), Seating arrangements that promote positive academic and
behavioural outcomes: a review of empirical research. Support for Learning, 23: 89-93.
.