Not sitting behind a desk
It is so much more effective for an instructor to move around the class and away from the desk because you are connecting more with the students and also you are more accessable to them , they feel like they are able to ask questions and you will have better communication with them.
I get very disappointed walking around my college
and seeing one of my instructors sitting at their
desk instead of up and around discussing the
subject for the day. If it was up to me, I would
have all the chairs at the teachers' desks removed. Walking around calling on students and
just making sure they are tuned in to you is
vital. In a 50 minute class there is no time for
sitting.
Teachers need to show excitement about the subject they are teaching and that includes
up and animated.
Good morning Kevin and all respondents!
Good job to all of you! Not matter your approach to moving around, we all agree that it is best for both student and instructor.
For those of us who are challenged with lengthy standing and moving, I sit-stand, sit-stand. If I am moving from group to group, I take that moment to sit. I often put students in a circle where we are closer and I can sit. I recently had a class where I had a rolling chair. I arranged the student tables in a horseshoe and when I sat, I would often roll to get closer. One other thing in my activities, I plan things where the student is doing the walking. So - I have made it work!
Any other suggestions!
To all - keep up the god work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Hello Ricardo,
I agree. In fact if not for the functional purpose of the desk I feel the classroom would be a better environment for learning. Too often the desk is used as a major barrier.
I believe in walking around the class room...it actually helps me to feel comfortable and I'm able to give good eye contact and individual attention to students.
Well stated! I also think that those instructors who sit behind the desk are perceived by most students as "lazy" and boring. I know, this was my impression as a student. That said, how do we motivate them to get up and move around? Classroom observers should do the trick.
I teach both an hour and half class and then a 4 hour class. I do enjoy my chair but I dont sit directly behind the computer. I can make eye contact with in anyone in the room when lecturing. I find myself more comfortable sitting and lecturing then standing? During parts of the class we break up and have lab projects where i am working around the room and having actually group contact.
I teach a class that is over three hours in length. I find that it is good to mix it up. I move around the white board and utilize it with my lecture. I move around to each group when I have the students in pairs to check their progress, see if they are on track, etc. and sit down at my desk when we are watching video presentations or if reading, I lean stand but lean back on the front of my desk and make eye contact with individuals as they read part of the text material. I try to vary my movements because even with a 10 minute break every hour, three hours is a long time to be in any class!
I agree that it is far more effective if an instructor moves around the room, but what if there is no space? Or, what if you are sharing a lab and the only way your class can hear you is if everyone gathers in one corner? It's kind of hard to move then.
Teachers should never sit behind their desk unless they are grading papers or responding to an important message. Effective instructors should always move around the classroom in order to gain the attention of the class for quality instruction and learning.
The only time I sit behind the desk is to take attendance. Moving around the class helping students with project keeps everyone focused and busy.
For those of us who have mobility issues, moving around the class room can be a problem at times.
I have learned/discovered that sitting can work for me, as long as I am not behind a desk or a podium. On days that mobility is rough, I place a chair at a point in the class where I can have eye contact with all the students, at all times. This has worked well to date.
Any other suggestions from those of you who do have problems standing or walking for extended periods of time?
Moving keeps students involved in class. It prevents things from becoming stagnant. It makes it lively.
I truly enjoy moving around the room to gauge student's knowledge and understanding. It helps me pick on a particular student who has not participated so that I can ask a question and see if the response is appropriate or I have to redirect. Sometimes this helps me gauge if the class is lost and I need to find a better approach. I also think that by walking around, they are more engaged in the lecture and expect that I will be calling on them to participate (encourages active listening). I find that if I just stand in front of the classroom they are less likely to participate.
I rally agree that it helps me to be part of a class, not removed from it. I keep my lecture style casual, inviting questions and off the cuff comments too to reinforce this idea. i find that students are more apt to ask questions or let me know if they are confused as a result.
I think staying in your desk is the worth thing you can do if you want the attention of your student. It is also a little disrespectful to the student. As a professor you want to connect with the class and the best way to do so is to walk around making the student part of that lecture
Good point, Steve. Active learning not only benefits the student, but it is an asset to the instructor in keeping alert, motivated and engaged with students.
Thanks for your observation,
Jay Hollowell
ED106 Facilitator
By moving about the classroom I feel that the students get a sense that I am a part of the group,not isolated from them. As I move about I pause near a training aide or object in the room that is related to what I'm talking about than ask questions about the subject matter I just covered.
This is especially imporant if you are teaching a studio course with computers. It is easy to slip into your own world and even get sleepy unless you make a point of moving from computer station to computer station and talking to students.
I find moving around the room necessary, especially during discussions, classroom arrangements permitting.
When lecturing with the use of PPoint, I make sure to pause and ask students questions to ensure they are following the lecture, and while doing it, I move around.
