A Flexible Seating Arrangement That Teachers Love

After trying numerous seating arrangements—including rows, blocks, and U shapes—educator Jay Schauer stumbled on a desk layout that outperformed them all. Edutopia’s community took notice. In this episode of School of Practice, Schauer walks listeners through the many benefits of arranging desks in L-shaped groups, including better communication, greater flexibility, and improved learning outcomes for students. Plus, we ask him how to adapt the setup for testing, tiny rooms, and a range of other real classroom challenges. Related resources: A Desk Layout Alternative to Rows and Circles A Strategic Approach to Seating Arrangements in High School 11 Smart Student Desk Layouts Research: Learning With Jigsaw: A Systematic Review Gathering All the Pieces of the Puzzle More Than 40 Years Later Boosting Student Belonging With the Jigsaw Technique