There is very little room for teens to get up or for the teacher to move around the class and students must work on their own. The class is dominated by the teacher (who works very hard) and students are very passive and probably restless too.

Classrooms may be set up like this to ensure quiet and control. If you are concerned that your students will be noisy or silly when desks are moved, explain why you want them to sit closer and expect some surprise, but children usually respond well when they know what is expected of them and when they can understand and experience the benefits of new approaches. Children will respond negatively when they feel insecure, so tell them what they are doing and why.

Without much movement it is possible to get children to work in pairs or groups to encourage communication and make activities more fun.

Imagine a typical classroom is set up like this:


= desk and chair

 

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Teenagers: Limited resources