Classroom seating charts have been used for years by educators because they're a handy tool for helping teachers put their students' names with their faces early in the school year. These seating charts enable teachers to organize students in a number of ways, such as alphabetically, by gender, or by behavioral needs. When posted in the classroom, seating charts can also help students remember where to sit so they can get to the correct desk quickly as soon as class begins. You can use a software program to create a classroom seating chart, or simply draw one on paper or posterboard.
Draw a diagram of your room on either a piece of paper or posterboard or use software you have on your computer. You can use Microsoft Office programs such as Word, PowerPoint or Excel to create diagrams and charts that resemble your classroom. When using a specific program, you can either insert a table, or use the drawing tools to create rectangles to represent the students' desks. If using paper or a poster, laminate it so that you can erase and make changes, if needed.
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Decide how you want to arrange your students. Do you plan on arranging them alphabetically, or by alternating students by gender, such as in a boy-girl-boy-girl configuration? Perhaps you have several students with behavioral plans that are required to sit close to the front of the classroom. These are the types of situations that can help you decide where to seat your students.
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Write or type the names of the students in the diagrams that you have drawn. Also, use different colors for each column in to make the chart easier to read.
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Keep a copy of the seating chart at your desk and post a copy at the front of the classroom so students can refer to it when they come to class.
Tips & Warnings
Be sure to keep a copy of the seating chart with the materials you leave for a substitute teacher in the event you'll be out. This chart will be an invaluable resource for the substitute to help quickly familiarize her with the students.
Even the most experienced teacher sometimes struggles with student behavior or compliance. While the use of behavior charts is typically more common...
