sitting on the carpet during math is fun!

It's my first week practice teaching and I am still amazed at the methods being used by my associate teacher.  I also realized how important the seating arrangements are during the lesson.  I remember as a child sitting in rows in a very structured seating arrangement.  I also remember daydreaming a lot during our math lessons.  My realization is that it is very important that to get the children engaged they must be comfortable and feel as if they are a part of a group that is excited to learn.  When the teacher does the instructional part of her lesson, she moves the class to the carpet and has them sit facing her.  They love being on the carpet.  They are close to her, they are close to their classmates and I notice they feel more eager and involved in the lesson.  Of course this technique would vary depending on the grade level (I have grade 4), but this can be adjusted according to the grade level.  Doing any sort of activity in groups is enticing for students!  My aha moment this week was that not only is the technique of teaching math important but so is the physical comfort and arrangement of the classroom when conducting the lesson.