For the educator who has to deal with behavioral problems, this can be a great arrangement to control students. Now, students don’t only have to be concerned with the educator seeing them, but now the whole class can see them. Having to be a responsible member of the group can be enough to curtail most problems students usually cause. Also, students are in sense pressured to be engaged for the same reason.
On the other hand, this normally works well with older students who have a sense of responsibility. Putting a class of five year olds in the U-shaped arrangement and expecting it to help with behavioral problems is destined to fail as it will cause more problems. Students at that age don’t have a sense of responsibility or understand peer pressure to conform to the group.