The Importance of the Teaching Space in the Teaching Process
Wow...I have not updated this in a while. I guess this is a good indication of how busy I was last term. I was teaching a course at UTSC as well as one at Seneca. In total I had about 110 students. That means I had 110 pieces of various types of grading to do at any given time. This adds up to blog silence.
It was a good term; I put into practice many of the pedagogical theories that I had been thinking about for some time. Having a class of 80 students is of course very different than a 30 student classroom. The physical architecture of my classroom last term was definitely an asset. In fact my ability to negotiate around the semi-circular desk structure really turned the traditional lecturer in front, students listening paradigm on its head. You could tell that some of the students were not used to having professors who wandered the room while teaching. Of course, I was not wandering constantly, just a sufficient amount to re-establish a connection with my students and the material we were discussing.
This term the importance of physical architecture has been acutely reinforced. I am teaching two sections of the same class at Seneca this term. My Wednesday class is in the basement of one wing of the college. The room is ridiculously odd. The door doesn't have a window, there are no windows to be had anywhere. The door itself is unlike the other doors in that it seems as though it is leading to a custodian closet. Then there is an awkward hallway that leads to the class space. This hallway in essence divides the classroom into two sections. One for the students that want to sit way in the back and goof off, and the other for those who actually want to learn and thus sit close to the whiteboard. Basically, it is a classroom that is shaped like a Tetris T-piece where the hallway to the top of the T is just big empty sound absorbing nothingness.
It is a very difficult room to negotiate. My class runs from 7-10pm which is the ideal time for sleeping. Most of my students have either worked all day or have spent the day taking care of their children. When you teach night classes you need to be on your A game or you will lose them within 30mins. This room seemingly impedes learning. This is an odd comment to make, however, I really feel this is true. My voice doesn't carry, it is absorbed in the weird hall space. I can not write big enough on the white board to reach the people in the back without it looking odd for those in the front. If I try to walk around the room, when I go towards the back those in the front don't hear me, and those in the back are only seemingly roused from their slumber momentarily. As a composition class, I have already modified the course material in order to engage with the students and not just bore them. Yet, I feel that this classroom is making this more difficult. Add to that that I cannot adjust the lighting in the room either; we are stuck with ridiculous buzzing fluorescent lighting.
My Thursday class is on the third floor of the same wing. The class has not one but two windows that face the hallway. It is a typical rectangular classroom, my voice carries well, the board and the IT devices I use are seen by all. The class as a whole seems more engaged, they participate, they enjoy the fact that I move around the classroom on occasion. I can control the lighting as well. Yes the fact that people are walking the hall constantly and some stop to see what I am teaching can be a bit distracting, but I actually enjoy it. That way other students/instructors can see that learning can be fun and engaging. There are the same number of students in each section, 30, and the students equally vary in their writing skill and ability.
My Wednesday classroom has become my Everest. I am making this a research project of sorts. I will modify things, see what works, what doesn't, until eventually we reach a point where the classroom does not become the anti-pedagogical 4th wall. It will be an interesting exercise in counter-architecture.
I am open to any suggestions that you may have. I hope your terms are going well! I promise to keep you updated.
It was a good term; I put into practice many of the pedagogical theories that I had been thinking about for some time. Having a class of 80 students is of course very different than a 30 student classroom. The physical architecture of my classroom last term was definitely an asset. In fact my ability to negotiate around the semi-circular desk structure really turned the traditional lecturer in front, students listening paradigm on its head. You could tell that some of the students were not used to having professors who wandered the room while teaching. Of course, I was not wandering constantly, just a sufficient amount to re-establish a connection with my students and the material we were discussing.
This term the importance of physical architecture has been acutely reinforced. I am teaching two sections of the same class at Seneca this term. My Wednesday class is in the basement of one wing of the college. The room is ridiculously odd. The door doesn't have a window, there are no windows to be had anywhere. The door itself is unlike the other doors in that it seems as though it is leading to a custodian closet. Then there is an awkward hallway that leads to the class space. This hallway in essence divides the classroom into two sections. One for the students that want to sit way in the back and goof off, and the other for those who actually want to learn and thus sit close to the whiteboard. Basically, it is a classroom that is shaped like a Tetris T-piece where the hallway to the top of the T is just big empty sound absorbing nothingness.
It is a very difficult room to negotiate. My class runs from 7-10pm which is the ideal time for sleeping. Most of my students have either worked all day or have spent the day taking care of their children. When you teach night classes you need to be on your A game or you will lose them within 30mins. This room seemingly impedes learning. This is an odd comment to make, however, I really feel this is true. My voice doesn't carry, it is absorbed in the weird hall space. I can not write big enough on the white board to reach the people in the back without it looking odd for those in the front. If I try to walk around the room, when I go towards the back those in the front don't hear me, and those in the back are only seemingly roused from their slumber momentarily. As a composition class, I have already modified the course material in order to engage with the students and not just bore them. Yet, I feel that this classroom is making this more difficult. Add to that that I cannot adjust the lighting in the room either; we are stuck with ridiculous buzzing fluorescent lighting.
My Thursday class is on the third floor of the same wing. The class has not one but two windows that face the hallway. It is a typical rectangular classroom, my voice carries well, the board and the IT devices I use are seen by all. The class as a whole seems more engaged, they participate, they enjoy the fact that I move around the classroom on occasion. I can control the lighting as well. Yes the fact that people are walking the hall constantly and some stop to see what I am teaching can be a bit distracting, but I actually enjoy it. That way other students/instructors can see that learning can be fun and engaging. There are the same number of students in each section, 30, and the students equally vary in their writing skill and ability.
My Wednesday classroom has become my Everest. I am making this a research project of sorts. I will modify things, see what works, what doesn't, until eventually we reach a point where the classroom does not become the anti-pedagogical 4th wall. It will be an interesting exercise in counter-architecture.
I am open to any suggestions that you may have. I hope your terms are going well! I promise to keep you updated.
Comments
Post a Comment