Teaching Outside The Box And First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide

Reading the many different techniques both books, “Teaching Outside the Box” (TOB) by LouAnne Johnson and “First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide” (FYT) by Julia Thompson, have to offer allows me to explore the classroom through the lens of an instructor. It is quite interesting being able to understand both perspectives, the students and the teachers, and being prepared to view both roles separately. The classroom setting is a major factor when it comes to the type of environment a teacher is trying to present to their students. I believe an organized classroom gives the impression of readiness to students, even if that is not necessarily the case. Covered in both books is the importance of seating, classroom set-up, networking, preparedness, and lesson plans. All of which are concepts that are greatly influential in teaching, specially for first-time teachers who need assistance in tackling a classroom of their very own.

Whether that means seating charts and/or the physical setup of desks, all contributions to seating arrangements are crucial to a student's learning capabilities. She states “you can use seating psychology to send messages to your students” for example, the idea that rectangular tables demonstrate a more strict and formal vibe, whereas circular tables presents more of a lenient and invitational message (Johnson, 52 & 53). Remembering when I was in middle school, the race to sit towards the back of the classroom was always such a rush. Since the “cool” kids sat in the back and the “nerdy” students sat in the front. For this very reason, I feel it is necessary that my classroom seating invites both socalled crowds to be involved