How to Design a Seating Chart – PowerTeacher

How to Design a Seating Chart

STEP 1 – Select a Class

In the table, click on the Seating Chart icon for the course you wish to view the seating chart.

Default Layout is Blank

This may happen the first time you view a new class for the first time.

Decide if you want to prepopulate the layout or not.

• CANCEL – Will put the students on the sideline and your canvas will be blank.
• OK – Will place all the students on the canvas in alphabetical order.

STEP 2 – Click “Seating Chart Design” Tab

Click the Seating Chart Design tab.

Seating Chart Design – Screen Layout

• SEATS – Use the buttons provided to add rows of students, a table grouping of students, or an individual student chair to the seating chart layout.
• OBJECTS – Use the buttons provided to add classroom objects to the seating chart layout.
• CONTROLS – Use the miscellaneous controls to perform the following functions:
  • REMOVE a selected object or chair from the layout.
  • UNDO the previous action.
  • SAVE the layout.
• ADD STUDENTS BAR – Use the POPULATE and CLEAR ALL buttons to move students to and from the chairs on the layout.
• ZOOM SLIDER BAR – Use the slider bar to increase or decrease the size of the Seating Chart.
  • Also use this slider bar to adjust the size of the seating cart for PRINTING.

STEP 3 – Name the Seating Chart

1. Select [NEW LAYOUT] from the Layout Selection pop-up menu OR click EDIT to to rename the current layout.
2. The Create a New Layout pop-up appears. Enter a NAME and DESCRIPTION for the new layout.
3. Click OK OR choose SAVE AS NEW.

STEP 4 – Add Chairs to Canvas

PowerTeacher has 3 ways you can configure your seating chart: Rows, Tables, or Individual Chairs.

ROWS

• To add multiple chairs in a ROW configuration, click +Rows. On the Add Rows of Chairs dialog, select the number of rows and the number of students per row from the pop-up menus. A preview image of the row configuration appears on the seating chart and updates based on the options selected on the dialog. Click Add to add the row configuration to the seating chart.

TABLES

• To add multiple chairs in a TABLE configuration, click +Tables. On the Add Chairs in a Table Format dialog, select the number of tables, the number of chairs per table, and the table orientation. A preview image of the table configuration appears on the seating chart and updates based on the options selected on the dialog. Click Add to add the table configuration to the seating chart.

INDIVIDUAL CHAIRS

1. To add individual chairs, click +Chair.
2. Keep clicking the button to add chairs in a line.
3. Using your mouse to place the chairs where you like.

STEP 5 – Adjust the Zoom of Your Chart

Depending on the number of seats you have in your classroom, you may have noticed that you are too zoomed in on your chart and can’t see all the seats and need to zoom out.

To ZOOM IN or ZOOM OUT, use the Zoom Slider on the right side of the canvas.

STEP 6 – Populate the Chairs with Students

On the Add Students bar, click the POPULATE button. The Add Students to Chairs pop-up appears.

1. Choose how to SORT, ORDER, and DISPLAY.
2. Choose where to START or place the first student.
3. Click OK.

WANT TO MOVE A COUPLE STUDENTS AROUND?

First, be sure to DESELECT the squares if they are ORANGE and then CLICK + HOLD to move student squares to different locations.

STEP 7 – Add Objects

You can place objects on your chart such as:

• Teacher Desk(s)
• White Board(s)
• Classroom Door(s)
• Text – for labeling areas, seats, or objects.  Can also be used for adding directions for substitutes.

STEP 8 – Save Seating Chart

From Controls, click the SAVE button.

STEP 9 – Print Seating Chart

From the top-right menu bar, click the PRINT icon button.

Other Seating Chart Tips & Tricks

How to Copy a Chart from Same OR Different Class

1. From the LAYOUT SELECTION MENU, choose [NEW LAYOUT].
2. NAME the new seating chart.
3. Choose START FROM A PRE-EXISTING LAYOUT.
4. Click NEXT.
5. From the “Select a Layout Template” window, CHOOSE A LAYOUT from the default layouts from the class periods listed.  You can even go back to past school years to choose a layout.
   1. Decide if you want a student who appears on both layouts / class periods to keep the same seat.
6. Click FINISH.

How to Change the Default Chart for a Class

If you’re finding that a previous chart is the first to appear when you load your seating chart and not the one that you want, then you need to set your new chart to be the DEFAULT.

1. From the LAYOUT SELECTION MENU, choose the layout you want to be the default.
2. Click the EDIT button.
3. Select DEFAULT LAYOUT.
4. Click OK.

Your new layout is now the default layout that loads when loading your seating chart.