Working the Huge Room

I’d get mic’d up and have a projection screen behind me the size of a drive-in theater, to use for overheads and analyzing film clips. It was like being a rock star or something — the performative aspect of teaching took on a grandiose dimension. I’d make a silly joke and the room roared. I’d ask questions and have a field of faces to choose on at random. I could see thirty heads nodding in agreement when I made a point. It was a thrill. A daunting experience, but a thrill nonetheless. —Mike Arnzen —Working the Huge Room (Pedablogue)

My colleague discusses the dynamics of teaching a large class. We don’t have huge classes at Seton HIll, but when I have on occasion addressed large audiences, the energy I could sense from the room really is palpable. It’s important to focus on that energy, and to have a backup plan so that when it starts to fade, you can quickly shift gears and gain their interest again.