My Ideal Classroom Layout

 

 

Technology is all around us.  It permeates our lives in ways both obvious and obscure.  And even more importantly, it’s advancing at a rapid pace.  Given our familiarity with technology in our daily lives, as well as the immense benefits that it brings, why shouldn’t we harness it for the power of education in the classroom?  There are countless ways to integrate both old and new technologies into student learning, and I will be spending the next year exploring many possible avenues.  In the meantime, though, it doesn’t hurt to plan.  So on that note, how do I envision the physical layout of my ideal classroom?

            For starters, I would prefer to have the students’ desks arranged in two large blocks with an aisle in between them.  This would give me the space to traverse the classroom a bit while I lecture, rather than confining myself to a narrow strip of space in front of the board.  As for my own desk, it would be situated at the back of the classroom, out of the way of everything else.  Importantly, my desk would need easy access to a wall outlet so that I could plug in a computer, be it a desktop or a laptop.

            Speaking of electrical outlets, I can speak from personal experience as a student and say that they are invaluable for people who want to take notes on a laptop.  However, they always seem to be in short supply, which usually forces me to switch my laptop battery into a low-efficiency power-saver mode.  In other words, access to outlets can be a huge hassle, and I don’t want my students to suffer through ordeal.  This is why it is essential that my dream classroom include plenty of electrical outlets on the floor scattered amongst the students’ desks.  Of course, this rule only applies if the school allows students to use laptops in class.

            As for other technologies, I cannot forget to include various means to present information to the class during lectures.  First and foremost, I would require a tried-and-true overhead projector.  While they may seem archaic by some standards, I really appreciate the ability to write on transparencies and turn them into a sort of dynamic visual element during each lesson (drawing on maps is a prime example).  For those with more advanced tastes, an ELMO projector could serve a similar purpose, though I wouldn’t be able to reuse my paper visual aids as effectively as transparencies.  I would, however, be granted the benefit of color.  Perhaps a ceiling-mounted projector linked with my computer would give me the best of both worlds.  In fact, a truly ideal classroom would contain all three, giving me plenty of options for presenting my material.

 

            This is only a vision, and my reality could vary widely depending on the affluence and learning climate of the school in which I teach.  If there’s one thing I’ve gathered so far, it’s that flexibility is an important part of the teaching profession.  Should it come down to it, I’d be ready to teach with nothing but a blackboard and printed resources.  I’ll have to wait and see.