Teach English in Dagushan Zhen - Weihai Shi

Under the umbrella of Outdoor Education, my most recent teaching experience involved the natural world as the classroom. Not only did this expand the amount of possible information for students to learn, but it came along with a schedule and safety guidelines. Between hiking, camping, biking, or completing another outdoor activity, the opportunities to teach and for students to learn were dependent upon small windows of time. As an educator, it was my responsibility to utilize this time most effectively. With an increase in flexibility, an increase in the ability to encourage participation, and measurable positive impacts on rapport, it quickly became apparent that circular classroom structure was the most effective method for teaching in a mobile classroom. Methods for teaching in a mobile classroom, one that exists outside of a school building and focuses beyond the general curriculum, already require a degree of flexibility. In traditional classroom settings, most faces are positioned for viewing a front-of-classroom teaching aid. When the side of a trail is morphed into your classroom, it makes sense as to how carrying around a whiteboard is not an option. In turn, this becomes one of the benefits of circular classroom structure. Students and educators learn to befriend their fear of the unexpected, are more likely to be present with the information at hand, and can rely on this classroom structure in an instant. All of this is possible without sacrificing other teaching tools, such as pair work, group work, and the involvement of teaching aids. By taking the focus off of a central board or desktop activity, students and educators are also challenged to think more creatively, increasing fluency in any topics that arise. As demonstrated in my ITTT learning, another way to increase fluency is through active participation. Drawing from the previous paragraph, finding creative ways to review information often leads to increased levels of speaking, reading, listening, and writing. This constant practice of the English language can build confidence, promote curiosity, and have dramatic results on language retention. In my experience, having students sit in a circular shape that included a teacher allowed for the teacher to view all students simultaneously. This gently encouraged students to actively participate and allowed the teacher to facilitate that participation. Beyond facilitating participation, circular classroom structure that involves the teacher has a positive impact on community rapport. When a teacher sits at the same level as students, there are maximum opportunities to make eye contact and use gestures and names to direct conversation. Continuing, this structure allows students to believe that their voice is of equal weight to others in the classroom as the teacher maintains some authority. Based on my role as a Trip Leader in Outdoor Education, learning the names of students and respecting their space to be heard was the difference between the creation of a welcoming and unwelcoming community. In contrast with my experiential evidence, some educators could argue that traditional and nontraditional methods of education are incomparable. Classrooms that function within a school building often rely on limited resources, experience greater variations of teacher training and motivation, and possess an immovable schedule. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to constantly shuffle desks and chairs so that students surround a central point other than the board. However, I would challenge these educators to consider one of the facets of setting the tone in a classroom: Individual teaching style. Circular classroom structure has challenged me to embody my lessons, become more confident, and truly connect with all students. In conclusion, circular classroom structure can be important for varying activities and positions, increasing participation, and building rapport. I hope that my supporting evidence towards this style of classroom management has emboldened you to rethink classroom structure in lieu of the common goal of student success. While this method may not be suitable for all educators, the flexibility with circular classroom structure cannot be denied and renders itself a tool for English language learning. If students can be arranged to sit in a circle in a field of grass, I believe that they can be encouraged to do so from behind their desks.