Series David Olio: Case Study of a Teacher: Desk Arrangement: Four Corners

Author's Choices: Collaborating in Close Reading

Critical Friends: Collaborating as Writers

Collaborating to Review Student Work

Adapting to the Common Core

Tribes: Agreements for Learning Together

Collaboration vs. Cooperative Learning

Encouraging Appreciation

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Desk Arrangement: Four Corners

Lesson Objective: Arrange desks to facilitate collaboration

All Grades / All Subjects / Collaboration

1 MIN

Discussion
Supporting Materials

Thought starters

How does this strategy different from other small group seating arrangements?
Why does this strategy increase collaboration?
How could you adapt this strategy in your classroom?

8 Comments

Michael Stires Jun 15, 2020 4:55pm

Empowering students by allowing them to collaborate with one another in the arrangement of the desk starts the pinwheel in the student’s brain to recognize that they will be the driver for the assignment. The strategy increases student collaboration because it allows for the teacher to float around the room to guide students with critical feedback. As a teacher and being able to create movement around the classroom allows for the teacher to gain insight on the thought process of the groups of students.

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Melissa Minjares Sep 23, 2017 8:18pm

My students are always thrilled to come into the classroom when they see the desks arranged this way. The pinwheels, as we call them, signal to them that they will be "driving" the lesson for the day. I love it, because the room feels so much more spacious when the students are working together in these groups, and the extra room facilitates my movement, allowing for more feedback for the students. I so appreciate this simple solution to creating workable group space in my crowded classroom.

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Helene Previl Dec 15, 2016 3:14pm

Wow this information is amazing and really needed.

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Tony Porter Jan 18, 2015 12:10pm

I use this four student grouping for my expert activities to complete some sort of assignment and present to the class.

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R Smith Jan 18, 2015 8:51am

This is the same set up used in my middleschool class. This issue of the whiteboard is non-existent as the kids just flip their desk around to see the whiteboard. I really enjoy this set up for the dialogue encourages and the janitor loves how easy it is to get around the class in clean-up.

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Materials

Desk Arrangement: Four Corners Transcript

Transcripts

Desk Arrangement: Four Corners Transcript

Teacher [interview]: The desk configuration that I use in small groups is called Four Corner. Student

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Desk Arrangement: Four Corners Transcript

Teacher [interview]: The desk configuration that I use in small groups is called Four Corner. Student desks are always a problem because they're difficult to get in and out of for kids when they're sitting in small groups. Why not turn them into a four-corner arrangement so that everyone faces each other and is easily able to get in and out of their seats. In addition to that, we want students to be able to have careful dialogue and conversation to be able to share work.

Student: Oh! That's what you meant.

Teacher [interview]: The four corner arrangement does facilitate more conversations. Students face each other - get more opportunities to talk. They have more opportunities to make more close eye-contact and then more opportunities for students to be able to speak and to listen.

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