movement
I believe classroom movement is important to maintain control of the room and also to keep the students more ingaged. If I move around the class I can see students from differetn angles and will notice if one of them is being distracted with there personal electronics.
I agree that movement is important to keeping the students engaged. When you use power point slides the students will keep their eyes on the slides and listen to you talk. This allows you to comfortably move around the room.
I have also found that moving around the room keeps the students awake. The students never know when you will be wondering around their desk, so they stay awake and much more alert. I also noticed that they are more involved in the lecture if you are moving around.
I observed that moving around kept my students much more focused, but now I have a better framework for why this is the case:
People are lot like dogs, birds, and other animals in that movement grabs their attention. There is some primal response to movement that not only puts the instructor in charge, but makes them the center of attention.
As an experiment I sometimes stood still while lecturing, and sure enough the class started to drift.
Moving around the room definitely helps control things better. I am teaching two classes this quarter in a computer lab. It is new to me and I realize the distraction of having those screens in front of my students. I even have had them send something to print in the middle of my making a point. I pointed out the rudeness of it to them. I even had it happen while another student was giving a Power Point presentation.
I often have to tell them to look up and stop typing when I really need their full attention.
I too move around the classroom but often had to get back to my lesson plan notes in that binder that was mentioned. I like the idea of putting my notes on 5 x 7 cards. I can literally cut and paste them on the cards with little or no effort.
yes.. you are so right.. so many students are more open one on one.. than just looking at you at the front of the class and thinking they are just such a small part of the class... walking by and talking to them i feel makes them beel more important.
I love movement in the class why be glued to one spot in the room?... I walk around it allows everyone the opportunity to be envolved in the class not just the folks up front, and it gives you another perspective of the room you can really see what's going on in your room when you stand in the back for a while and walk around....
I already move around the classroom quite a bit but I like the concept of "reclaiming" the entire room as your teaching area. I agree that it helps students stay engaged and not exhibit default lecture behavior.
I agree with you. Movement around the room, even if you are not lecture, allows you to check 0n the students and see if they are having problems with the material. Many stidents will not ask you a questions if you are up front, but will ask as you walk arond the room.
