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    Honestly, blackcat, that arrangement sounds like a recipe for distraction for about the bottom half of kids in that age group-- just from a normal development standpoint.

    What is the teacher THINKING??



    Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.
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    Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
    Honestly, blackcat, that arrangement sounds like a recipe for distraction for about the bottom half of kids in that age group-- just from a normal development standpoint.

    What is the teacher THINKING??


    I don't know, but so far my kids (4th grade and kindergarten) have been in exactly this arrangement for every class in elementary school, both public and private. So she may not be "thinking" at all - just doing what everyone else does.

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    Also-- fwtxmom's executive summary of the neurobiology and neuropharmacology is not entirely correct, nuanced, or complete-- from my perspective as a neuroscientist with a great deal of experience IN that particular dopaminergic system, I mean.

    I don't want her to feel attacked, though-- and truthfully, her assertions are not nearly so inaccurate as many I've seen over the years--

    so I'm keeping my mouth shut and not deconstructing the post. But I do want to be clear that my lack of response does NOT signify complete agreement with that summary.

    I've posted it upstream and previously for those who are interested, though, and I'm not likely to change anyone's mind by belaboring the points.

    (truly not trying to be hurtful or argumentative about this point)


    Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.
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    Originally Posted by ElizabethN
    Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
    Honestly, blackcat, that arrangement sounds like a recipe for distraction for about the bottom half of kids in that age group-- just from a normal development standpoint.

    What is the teacher THINKING??


    I don't know, but so far my kids (4th grade and kindergarten) have been in exactly this arrangement for every class in elementary school, both public and private. So she may not be "thinking" at all - just doing what everyone else does.



    Well, I guess it's fine if all you expect of "school" is social learning. Maybe that's it. wink



    Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.
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    Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
    Right-- the lifestyle that many 40+ yo adults recall from childhood was FAR more accessible then than it is now for most segments of the SES.

    NOW, a "kinder, gentler" and more low-key approach is often just completely out of reach financially for parents who require two incomes. But childcare requirements and all the accoutrements of that lifestyle come as a package deal with all sorts of other influences that those parents might well choose differently-- if they COULD, that is.

    Similarly, not all parents have the means for private schooling, or quiet, safe neighborhoods.

    Yup. If I could I would home school but I can't so my kids get public school and day care. It is not ideal but it is life now. I should have emphasised i was a childof the70's in NZ so probably comparitive to the 50's in the US. And a lot of stuff has changed for the better just not that bit (although not having the option to work was pretty bad).

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    Originally Posted by indigo
    Originally Posted by MumOfThree
    ... questions like that are aimed at ...[/
    [quote=MumOfThree] ... someone who physically can't push a trolley...

    Use of the word trolley in this context is not typical "American" English, therefore I will ask whether you are in the US and have completed or may become subject to the American Community Survey (ACS) of the Census Bureau?

    Just out of curiousity what would an American say (in case I visit), mundane things like that are not covered in TV programmes. Also that sort of question is probably common to many such forms in many countries.

    and that sort of seating arrangement is the norm here. When we were kids our desks were in rows with spaces. You could poke your neighbour or anything without attracting attention. The main reason for the change seems to be it looks less old fashioned and more friendly to visiting parents and it makes it easier to share limited resources. I once watched kids do handwriting in a table for six kids - one of them was jiggling the table and preventing the others from writing properly. The teacher couldn't see from where she was. Another classroom I was in didn't have seating for all the kids, half of them sat on the floor with lapdesks for handwriting. A little difficult for the teacher who probably didn't supervise the one where she was required to crouch down ad much as the others. Our senior school (year 5/6) have just got "a modern learning environment". Ds6s teacher reckons it will suit him because he will be able to move round more, lounge on beanbags etc. I think half the kids will spend half their time moving around getting distracted but we will see. I need my own space so it would drive me crazy.

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    A metal shopping container with wheels is a "cart" in most of North America, but can be a "basket" in some regions.


    Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.
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    Originally Posted by puffin
    Originally Posted by indigo
    Originally Posted by MumOfThree
    ... someone who physically can't push a trolley...

    Use of the word trolley in this context is not typical "American" English...
    Just out of curiousity what would an American say ...
    That is a great question.

    For the cultural differences in uses of the word "trolley", I believe the American expression in this context would be "cart" or "shopping cart". As in ... "someone physically unable to push a shopping cart."

    To many Americans, a trolley is a mode of transportation. One might hear the terms trolley, trolley bus, trolley car, or cable car. Here is one of many possible links with pictures: http://www.cablecarclassics.com/

    Often there may also be local differences in word usage. As an example: in some areas a carbonated soft drink is "soda", in other areas, "pop".

    Hope this helps.

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    Originally Posted by blackcat
    My ADHD DD actually drew a diagram on a whiteboard this morning indicating her ideal seat arrangement so that "distracting" kids are not surrounding her.
    This is great, it shows she is being creative and also working in a problem-solving mode.

    Originally Posted by blackcat
    the teacher has the desks arranged in clusters... Why in the world arrange desks this way if they not supposed to be talking to each other?

    Excellent point, this type of desk arrangement is said to be for cooperative/collaborative work.

    There have been studies on various desk arrangements including rows, clusters, circles/horseshoes(semi-circle or "U"), each for different purposes. You may wish to use a search engine to find examples of studies.

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    Way off the original topic, but DS' classroom is arranged in groups of four and it seems to be working quite well. The teacher also does a great deal of differentiated teaching, so my guess is that this arrangement makes it easier to go work with a small group without moving kids to another area of the room. She does rearrange kids every so often, which has me wondering what prompts the change (one boy is almost always with DS, but the others have varied).

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