U-Shape seating plan for 18 students
Desks around three sides, with the opening facing the screen and the teacher. This version is built for a class of 18.
How the seats are placed
The 18 seats form one U: two arms and a back row, with the corners shared so the shape stays connected. The opening faces the screen, and the teacher desk sits in that opening rather than behind the students.
For 18 students, the plan uses 5 rows of seats, and the fullest row seats 10 and the shortest seats 2. The editable grid is 12 cells wide and 11 cells tall, counting the front of the room.
A U lets students see the board and each other. You stand in the opening, close to every seat, which makes it a strong default for seminars, questioning, and classes where you move along the inside of the desks.
Use it when
- Whole-class discussion with a board still in use
- Questioning and cold-calling
- Classes up to about 30 where you want one conversation
Pick something else when
- Students need to face a partner for most of the hour
- The class is large enough that the back of the U cannot hear the opening
- You need a wall of computers facing one direction
- Students
- 18
- Grid
- 12 by 11
- Student rows
- 5
- Fullest row
- 10
Questions about this plan
- How many students does this U-Shape plan seat?
- Exactly 18. The grid drawing and the planner both use that count.
- How big is the grid?
- 12 cells wide and 11 cells tall. In the planner each cell is one desk-width.
- Where should the teacher stand?
- Stand inside the opening. You are close to every seat, and you are not hidden behind a teacher desk.
- Can I rename students and save this?
- Yes. Open it in the planner, type names or import an Excel list, and the browser keeps the edit. You can also download a PNG or a JSON file.
- What if my class is a different size?
- This arrangement is also generated for 10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 22 students. Pick the closest count, then add or remove a desk in the planner.
Other class sizes
- 10 students
- 12 students
- 14 students
- 16 students
- 20 students
- 22 students
- 24 students
- 26 students
- 28 students
- 30 students
- 32 students
Other room shapes
- Traditional Rows for 18 students. Paired blocks of desks facing the screen, split by a center aisle.
- Single Desk Rows for 18 students. Individual desks with an empty cell between neighbors, for tests and quiet work.
- Horseshoe for 18 students. A shallow, wide curve of seats so the group can see one another.