new arrangement...

When I came into this fifth grade class in January, the students were in four groups of four or five students.  We stayed this way for a few weeks, and then we moved into a "U" shape.  With the help of the previously mentioned partner teacher, we found an abandoned rug and a squiggly "U" shaped table to put into the middle of our "U".  This became the area I used for my morning reading skills group!  About 2 weeks into the "U" shaped arrangement, I was over it!  I didn't have the mobility that I enjoy having within my classroom.  I rode it out for another 2ish weeks, then said enough!  We had hit the half way point of our third marking period so I changed :) I put my students into groups of 3, situating them in a triangular shape.  This allows me to have six small groups and the ability to move around between all of them freely.  I can get from the front to the back quickly and fairly easily (not including the binder that is bound to be in the middle of the floor!).  I am liking our triangles much better than our large "U".  The students seem to be enjoying it as well; though I am having to reprimand more for chatting than in the "U", but having instant small groups makes it worth it for me!

For all the people that don't ever look at my blog anyways, haha, here's a photo :)