In the early years of education, the classroom layouts were always open and free. Instead of desks, there would be large round tables spread all around the classroom. There would be a carpeted space somewhere in the room that was a space where anyone could sit and read. One kindergarten classroom had multiple different arts and crafts corners. Students had free roam of the classroom and were allowed to work wherever they felt like. I do not even remember where the teacher’s desk was in these elementary classrooms because it was not an important part of the classroom layout. As I got older, the classrooms started to become smaller and more closed and uniform. It changed so gradually that when I got to high school, I did not even realize that my classrooms only had desks that were in rows.

For almost all the high school classrooms that I can remember, the teacher would stand in front of the class to lecture and teach while the students sat and looked ahead to the teacher. This structure clearly indicates the power and superiority the teacher has over the students when teaching. However, the teachers commonly had their desks placed at the very back of the classroom, so during times where the students would be working on assignments or reading, the teacher would be behind us (the students) and let the students lead and work on their own.            

I feel like in classrooms I had many opportunities to engage and interact with fellow classmates. A lot of my high school teachers organized their classrooms so that the students’ desks would be in groups or tables of two or more students which allowed for students to get to know each other. These layouts also allowed for easier group projects, discussions, and assignments, because students would already be close to each other and available to talk to and compare answers.

Of course, not all of my classroom experiences have been the same or as open as some of the ones I have reflected on above. Teachers can always make more of an effort to create openness and more relational spaces in the classroom. Teachers can try out different desk arrangements and switch seating plans regularly to encourage students to interact with others more or to interact with people they usually would not interact with on their own. It is also important for teachers to make it known that students do not have to be confined to their desks. Students should be allowed the option to sit in other spaces in a classroom to do their work and students should be given time to walk around, stretch, and take a break occasionally. This kind of freedom to move and work where you want is an easy way to let students know that the classroom is not a closed, defined space, but open and inviting.