When it comes to where you sit in your classes, many students prefer to pick where they would like to sit. They believe that if they get to pick who they sit by, it can help them get their class work done better, 

Abbie Memott, a junior, has similar beliefs. Memott explains that “I like choosing my seating because sometimes I can choose who I work better with, versus who I don’t work very well with.” 

When working responsibly, letting students pick where they want to sit can actually help them in the long run. They know who they work well with and can feel more comfortable asking others around them for help. 

In order for free seating to work effectively, students have to be mature enough to realize what works well and what doesn’t. Ms Armstrong, the Spanish 4 and AP Spanish teacher, went more in depth on that idea. Armstrong said that at the stat of the semester she likes to “to give students the opportunity to sit where they choose and then they get the opportunity to show me they can handle sitting next to their friends.”

Armstrong also explains that “I teach the majority of junior and seniors and I would like them to be mature enough to handle choosing their seat but if they’re off task or too distracted I’ll move them.” 

Armstrong talked about how she doesn’t necessarily want to pick students’ seats for them, but if they can’t handle choosing their seats themselves, then she will have to pick their seats for them. 

Both students and teachers believe that, especially juniors and seniors, they should be able to have the maturity level to pick where they want to sit. They should know who they work well with and who they shouldn’t be sitting by. 

Assigned seating is a big debate across students and teachers at school. Should teachers make a seating chart where they assign seats to their students? Depending on the class, many students rather pick where they would like to sit, which is usually with their friends. 

Ms. Zolotoff, who teaches Spanish, explains how working with a lot of underclassmen affects her decision on whether to make a seating chart or not. She expresses that “I think its more necessary for students in bigger classes, also for underclassmen because they just have a different maturity and motivation level.” 

She also always lets students write down and give requests on who they would like to sit by “like I absolutely cannot sit by this person kind of situation,” Zolotoff adds. She doesn’t necessarily love assigning seats to her students, but most of the time a seating chart is needed. 

Aysha Marin, a sophmore, explains her experience with assigned seating. Marin announces that “I don’t like it because I sit next to my friends because I feel more comfortable talking to them and all my friends actually try, so it’s more beneficial when we’re not in assigned seats.” 

Marin also spoke more about how it can also depend on the class, teachers and students that are in the class. Marking goes more into details saying that “it’s like 50/50 because at times [she feels] like teachers need it because of certain groups of certain students in classrooms who are distracting and who do sit together but other times there are students who do sit by their friends and it is beneficial because they are more likely to ask questions.”

 She also mentioned how different classes and different students can make a huge effect on whether or not there should be assigned seats or not.