Classroom 107 in the Humanities Building on Western Washington University’s campus is structurally composed to posit myself as someone different from my students. Room 107 is a cookie cutter copy of many other classrooms not only on WWU’s campus, but at universities and classrooms worldwide. It is binary. In through the door—if you have authority go to the front, if you lack it, sit at one of spaces allocated for you on the other side of the classroom. ONE instructor’s podium, MANY students’ desks. In this system there are only two (visible) choices—take the authoritative spot, or the subordinate listener’s spot. I act out this performance of difference everyday I CHOOSE to teach from the front of the room. It is a structural difference that supports the banking model of schooling: sit and receive the glittering knowledge bestowed upon thou from the speaker at the front of the room.

Unfortunately, I make the choice to teach from the front far too often. The room is arranged so it is easier to make the choice of the “one vs the many”. The choice to set the instructor in opposition to the students. Wood paneled walls cage us into a small space. Moving furniture is difficult,disruptive sucks up time, …and even when I do teach in the round am I actually breaking down the walls of difference (thoughts or excuses I play on repeat in my brain)? The spotlight still falls on me. Gazes turn for my approval whether that be from the front of the classroom, or mixed (and hiding?) among the desks.

Can erasing the spatial difference in the classroom actually erase or lessen the authoritative difference between instructor and student?

Would my physical and spatial absence from the room even erase this? Or would it lead to “Where’s Megan? I don’t know, but let’s wait until she arrives to tell us how to act…”

Thinking practically, I do need to lead a lesson, so some authority is useful…but I blogged not even a week ago how I desired my classroom to be an equalizing space and community. What I write with one hand, I scratch-out with the other. My differences from my students harm my personal teaching goal, but aid the institutional goal of the university.