As a Scholar who uses a controller, I know the importance of your hotkey lay-out.

Personally I keep my first row for pet stance / heal moves. I find it helps best though if you keep 3 or 4 hotkeys the same no matter which hotkey bar you're on. Such as "Sprint, Cleric Stance, Swiftcast, target enemy." Those are the one's I find most useful spread out between the bars.