Measures
Actual distance. Actual seating distance in the classroom was derived from maps drawn of the seating
arrangements at Time 1 and Time 2. All teachers were asked to draw a map of the default seating
arrangement of their classroom as accurately and precisely as possible. The default seating arrangement
was defined as the arrangement (a) where students sat for the majority of the school day and
(b) that was seen by the teacher as the default arrangement regardless of temporary rearrangements
for certain activities. The maps corresponded with the actual layout of the classroom observed during
data collection. Teachers were not formally interviewed or questioned about their strategies and reasons
for making the seating arrangements. However, we did ask teachers whether they made the seating
arrangements or the children themselves could decide where they wanted to sit. All teachers
indicated that they made the arrangements at both times and that children could not decide for themselves
where to sit.