Can you teach from a seated position?

And when I say teach, I mean "lecture"? One of my colleagues who also teaches high school math teaches all lessons while seated at his desk. He has a tablet, and projects his notes (he also has a very loud voice!), but I could never teach from a seated position. Could you? Do you?

 

No, and I wouldn't want to. Occasionally I do sit down when the students know what they're doing and will be working for a while (I'm sitting 5 minutes, which seems like a loooong time). I noticed that me, sitting down sends a signal to some students that they can relax, because I won't see them, so they'll be off task, whispering, etc, but it can also send a message that I trust them, I don't have to be on their back to monitor them.
My better behaving, more mature classes take it as the latter, and the immature ones take it as the first one.

 

I could if I had to. I have had injuries that have caused me to be immobile. I would not like it and I think that it would limit my abilities.

 

I have had to, and it works.

I sat at my desk, and I used my wireless slate to run my SmartBoard. I also have a microphone system.

I have good classroom management, though. I'd never be able to do it if my class wasn't under control normally.

 

Yes.

 

Yup though I typically don't. My classes that are small (3 or 4 kids) I almost feel awkward standing.

 

I sit when I'm doing something "intimate" like a read-aloud or other rug work. I sit when I work with small groups. Otherwise, I'm on my feet.

 

When I taught 5th grade social studies and science all day, I often taught from a stool.
In K-2, I usually teach from a rocking chair. Of course, I'm not really 'lecturing'.

 

I have a tall director's chair and a laptop cart I use as a podium. If we're reading and discussing, I park myself there.

 

I sometimes sit on a stool when we are having a class discussion of some sort, but I usually stand during lecture. I usually do not lecture for more than 10 minutes at a time though.

 

I did when I was under doctor's orders to not be on my feet due to pregnancy complications. It wasn't ideal teaching 5th graders to research from my rolling chair, but we all survived.

 

I could not. I never sit when students are in my room (even during lunch or afterschool) - never. On most days, I stand all day from 7:45 to 3 pm unless I go to a meeting where I have to sit. I prefer to stand, have made it a habit and think nothing of it at this point.

 

Yes.

 

I'm physically disabled and have to teach from a seated position. It works well. We all do what we have to do. And it all works out.

 

Sitting while teaching is a huge no-no at my school (barring, of course, circumstances where it's necessary, so I don't need 30 examples of people who HAVE to sit), so I rarely see it done. I couldn't do it anyway. I'm up, walking around the room as much as possible. When they're completing assignments/tests/quizzes, I may sit for a bit, but never while lecturing.

 

I don't really lecture, but I often sit around the room, on the edge of the table, on an empty desktop, etc as I teach. I don't stay long, but I do sit.

 

I will sit in short spurts but never for long. I can't imagine sitting at my desk too long. Today I made a comment about my desk being such a wreck and an adult aid in the classroom made the comment that the desk being a mess was a sign I don't sit there often.

 

No, I hardly sit at all during the day while teaching. It just isn't me.

 

When I was in the classroom, I rarely sat. Now that I'm working with small groups I always sit. but we're doing guided reading.

 

Lol I wish this was true. Mine is a mess, but I sit there a lot. My kids in my small classes pull their desks up to mine in a circle. I love it.

 

I teach math and I write all my notes out under the Elmo. I have my cart a little higher up and I sit on an old bar stool. But I do get up if I teach with a PowerPoint. I also teach English and I do move around a lot since they collaborate in groups a lot.

 

Obviously, I'm stuck at my desk when I'm working with my large group, because I have to monitor chat and work my PowerPoint. It also helps to be at my webcam when I use it. However, when I'm talking with individual students, I wear my wireless headset and walk away from my computer. It allows me to talk with each kid without distractions from my screen, and it allows me to pace, which helps my thinking.

 

I don't think I could because I am a bit restless. Sitting while teaching would feel awkward and stilted. In a way I think it would make me feel disconnected from my students.

 

I do sometimes. The majority of my whole class lessons are on the carpet. Sometimes I'm sitting on the carpet, too, with the kids in a circle. And of course I am also sitting during small group instruction at my kidney table. But I teach 1st...I'm not exactly "lecturing."

 

I'm on a stool, in a tall chair, on my feet, sitting on carpet, sitting on kids chairs...I'm up and down, I'm all over...

 

Pretty much the same with me, except I do sit when they are taking a test. That is pretty much the only time.

 

I'm with you. I could do some of it sitting down, and I do, but when it comes to things like handwriting, daily centers, craft assignments, etc I just have to be up, walking around and going over instructions that way.

As for "lectures", hah, I could do most sitting in my chair. But I couldn't teach the whole class that way. I'm sure most of the answers will depend upon the grade level.

I could see where a teacher could, sure.

 

THIS. Last Thursday I found myself toward the back of the classroom crouched by the bookshelf and for a second I couldn't remember why the hell I was over there. :lol:

 

Before this year I don't think I ever sat while teaching. But being pregnant, I've had to find more opportunities to sit. My feet have already been swelling up pretty bad! I find it even harder to sit during music class since I have each class for a such a short amount of time. I've started bringing my rolling chair to the front of the room and sitting occasionally.

 

As others have mentioned, when doing the read aloud, I'm sitting down on a stool (they are at the carpet or in chairs sitting/lying down). Also, anytime I'm using the document camera I'm sitting in a stool, simply because it's that, or sticking my backside out at the kids. So many times modeling writing and many times in math I'll be sitting. And reading groups, too. However, the rest of the time I'm always roaming/standing/kneeling/doing every other position possible..haha. I always change it up as much as I can.

 

We have a teacher at my site who has debilitating back problems. She teaches from a seated position about 95% of the time and manages to do a phenomenal job.

 

When I'm using my document camera, I'm seated at my desk. As others have said, I'm up and down, all around the room. I don't stay in one place for long.

 

I sit at a high stool at my podium probably half the time. The other half, I'm circulating.

 

I use the Elmo and projector often so I sit when using it. Then I walk around or sit with small groups at a table.

 

I'd like to, but I'm not that effective sitting down. One problem is my style - I use a lot of body language. Another is the lay out- teachers desks are off center for board access, I'd like to be higher up so I can see clearly. I try and lecture in short bursts, but its rare for a kid to interrupt me if they don't understand, so I want to see their faces. When I'm teaching though, I often prefer to sit down, usually in the middle of the class and talk at eye level. On the rare occasion I do sit behind a desk, this seems to signal to the class that I'm not doing anything. I end up with a line of kids queuing up to show me things, I guess they prefer my walking round constant feedback.
I sit behind a desk and mark during tests, this signals silence.

 

No, definitely not but I also teach 4th grade. I still don't think it's a great way to teach but that's just me. Most of the time I'm walking around the classroom, answering individual questions, monitoring student work, or working in small groups during stations. Sometimes when we do popcorn style reading, I sit down on my stool. Still, I find myself making the rounds a few times to help students who get off track. When the support teachers come for Spanish, Music, etc. I'm usually at my desk completing something or in the computer lounge. I really try to make an effort to be on my feet teaching. At my first teaching job, we were told never to let the principal catch you sitting. She was an awful principal but I've always felt more like a teacher on my feet!

 

My teacher's chair is a tall director's chair. I sit in it while I lecture often, as if I don't sit down, I tend to pace, and then my feet hurt by the end of the day.

 

I didn't sit until technology came into the picture. I do a lot of teaching via my tablet laptop ... and, while the laptop is mobile and we have wireless capacities, my laptop is still tied to my document camera. Also, the laptop tablet is not easy to write on while standing. I use 2 screens, and if you count my projector, can have 3 different screens going for teaching.

 

Nope, I pace and wander all over the room like a crazy person.

 

My technology set up is like KU's, and my classroom is super small. My largest class only has 12 kids in it, so it's very easy for me to teach sitting down. There's not a lot of room to move anyway!