Resources Technology Workshops Services

Schedule of Events

Teacher Training

Teaching to Diversity

Using Technology

Large Class Teaching

Beginnings

Search TEP site

 

 

 

Home > Workshops and Classes > Teacher Training > Beginnings > Online Beginnings > Table of Contents > Preparing to Teach: Your Classroom

Preparing to Teach: Your Classroom

I know that you're anxious to get right into that classroom and start teaching (with the exception of those who are paralyzed with fear at this prospect...), but there are a few things to attend to first.

Check out the room you have been assigned.

Bolted down chairs? Enough board space? Does it have an overhead projector, a VCR, an ethernet connection? Is there chalk and an eraser? How's the temperature? Are there blinds on the windows? Are there windows? You can now check out most UO classrooms on the internet.

These may seem like trivial questions, but your physical space for teaching has an impact on you and your students. It certainly has an impact on your teaching. Doing small group work in a room with bolted down chairs requires flexibility and a sense of humor. Using an overhead in a fixed-seating room becomes tricky because you can't get the projector back far enough in the room to get a large, clear image. Teaching in a cramped, airless room at 3:30 in the afternoon gives you sleepy, cranky students.

Troubleshooting the problems your room may offer before you begin to teach will eliminate some unpleasant surprises. Maybe you can get the room changed if it's really unsuitable. If not, maybe you can head off the difficulties with some creative alternatives.

How much does the physical space impact learning?

Think about the traditional classroom. The desks are in rows facing the front of the classroom. There is usually a desk, table and/or podium between the teacher and the students. This space was designed for what kind of learning? Face the front, eyes on the teacher--no talking. This layout supports what is called the Instruction Paradigm (Barr and Tagg, From Teaching to Learning: A New Paradigm for Undergraduate Education, Change, Dec 1995) The purpose is to provide/deliver instruction by transferring "expert" knowledge from the professor to the students.

However, there are other classroom designs which support other ideas of the teaching/learning relationship. Circles and small group arrangements tend to support what Barr and Tagg refer to as the the Learning Paradigm. Here the purpose is to produce learning by eliciting student discovery and construction of knowledge.

Food for Thought

Okay. You've scoped out the room. Now it's time to think about entering it on the first day of class. The key to your success will be two things: 1) building a relationship with your students and 2) having a good lesson plan.

 

---