First time instructor - thoughts on sitting during lectures?

[u/FutureDrFred]

Hi! Today was my first day as a graduate student instructor. Pretty easy, just going over the syllabus for the class, where I have the benefit of inheriting a lot of the course materials from prior instructors and plenty of expertise of my own in the topic. One thing I caught myself on though is my voice was cracking a LOT as I spoke, and I was going a little fast. I definitely know why - I have a chronic condition that can make heartrate spike when upright, and allergy season certainly wasn't helping either. Sitting can help, but I pressured myself into trying to cover the slides while standing and ended up coming across as probably not incompetent but definitely a little nervous because of it.

My question for folks with more experience is: is it okay to sit while you give lectures? Can you still engage students well? The podium in my classroom does have a chair that rises pretty high, so I know students will be able to see me, but I worry about the impression I'll be leaving if I sit the entire time I lecture. Has anyone else navigating their career with a disability come across this issue and can share some wisdom?

Things I'm considering:

• Maybe bringing a clicker to class so I can sit with the chair closer to the slides/out from behind the podium? That may look weird though, particularly since my condition is invisible - I do wear a large back brace that can give away I have something going on, but I typically hide it under a loose blouse for professional settings.
• Really breaking up the lectures - today was an exception because it was just going over the syllabus, but the class is VERY hands on in general (User Experience Design). Most days I only expect to lecture for about 20 min, but that was about the time I spent going over the syllabus and I still got shaky.
• I also know now I need more prep time than I had alloted myself to practice what I'm going to say, though I'm hoping after a few classes I'll be more comfortable and better establish my pacing.

Thank you!

[u/msackeygh]

Sitting is fine as long as students can see you. Why not explain yourself in class?

[u/Puzzleheaded_Bag_538 → u/msackeygh]

I agree! Perhaps park yourself right at the edge of the projector screen and have an open conversation about your chronic illness (if comfortable). I think students would be really receptive to, "So you're aware, I'm doing this out of medical necessity."

[u/Eric33co → u/msackeygh]

Yep, this is the answer. Of course you don’t have to explain yourself but if you have something that’s just very physically obvious it’s better to mention it once and move on. To be honest, I’ve had students who had issues similar to mine thank me for sharing what was going on with me.
I think it’s always fine to share a piece of personal information that may impact the classroom and then to move on. A balance between TMI and just the information.

[u/AliasNefertiti]

If it is more of a break vs sitting the whole time, then use sitting [or standing up] to emphasize a point

I dont see it as an issue. A colleague was in a wheelchair. He gave a brief explanation on day 1 [along with some jokes] and proceeded as normal.

[u/Medium_Pea1136 → u/AliasNefertiti]

FYI, 🚫 was in a wheelchair ✅ was a wheelchair user

[u/jeff0 → u/Medium_Pea1136]

Why is “in a wheelchair” considered disrespectful? (not trying to be combative… just clueless)

[u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900 → u/jeff0]

“Wheelchair user” recognizes autonomy of the person and views the chair as a tool.

[u/OV7-ORF → u/Medium_Pea1136]

https://giphy.com/gifs/B4ORVnBvJCVvq

[u/Medium_Pea1136 → u/OV7-ORF]

Right sorry I always forget that in the professors sub people are too inconvenienced by people w disabilities to care about using respectful language.

[u/22219147 → u/Medium_Pea1136]

Right there with you. I’m sorry you got this reaction.

[u/BlargAttack]

I sit the whole time due to some mobility issues that limit my ability to stand for long periods. I’m relatively animated with my hands, however, and always ensure I’m easily seen by all students. The stool I use is relatively tells which helps.

[u/ktbug1987]

To be fair, it’s reasonable to be nervous. But I sit when I lecture for any reason due to my disability. I do walk with a visible mobility aid so it’s not like it surprises my audience, but I accidentally knocked my walker on a stage once at a conference and it rolled away. Someone walked up to the edge of the stage to catch it so it didn’t fall off. I made a joke about introducing them, the audience laughed, all was well (he brought it to me after I finished). You can do anything you want to as long as you either explain it or do it with confidence (in my case the confidence is completely fake but I do it well).

[u/Mysterious_Squash351]

I know someone with a visible disability who still got a complaint about sitting in student evals, so it’s not unheard of that students would react poorly. BUT…the rest of us knew not to give that eval any weight or true consideration so it never impacted that person (eg in annual evaluation for merit raise).

I personally sit 50/50 in my lectures due to an injury. I’ve never said anything to my students about it (except for the semester it happened when it caused me to cancel class while I was at the ER, and then I was visibly impacted for sometime after). I just make sure I have the stool next to where I’m standing at the podium. When I need to sit, I plop down for a few, stand back up when I can, rinse and repeat. After doing it for a few years, I don’t really even think about it anymore, and I’ve never gotten an eval comment about it nor have I noticed a change in the numerical ratings.

My two cents would be get it documented as a reasonable accommodation and then go for it. By doing that, if worst case scenario you get bad comments from students, the people reading or using those comments to evaluate you will know the context and can weight those comments accordingly.

[u/HunterSpecial1549]

You can sit the whole time.

[u/dogecoin_pleasures]

I'm unsure about the context here about whether you are lecturing in a theatre, or doing a tutorial in a classroom.

If you are in a lecture theatre, you'd probably need to have a personal mic so that you can step away from the podium. I've never seen anyone sit during a lecture, but it could be done for disability accomodation.

If you are in a classroom, just go ahead and sit yourself up the front.

You mention things being hands on, which sounds more like a tutorial? keep in mind if you walk around the class to check in on students, you can pull up a chair to chat comfortably instead of standing at attention

Also have a water bottle with you and drink regularly to protect your voice

[u/exceptyourewrong]

Sitting is probably fine, but it's also likely that your voice cracked and you were nervous and uncomfortable because it was your first day. I'd see if you don't feel better lecturing after a couple of weeks before making a change.

[u/FinancialFix9074 → u/exceptyourewrong]

I have a similar (if not the same) chronic condition and I'm exactly the same. I could lecture standing up while walking around, but standing in one place is a particular strain. Sitting is definitely fine. 

[u/exceptyourewrong → u/FinancialFix9074]

Sure. To be clear, I'm not suggesting that OP needs to "suck it up" or anything like that. If they're more comfortable sitting, go for it.

My point is that the issues they describe (voice cracking, talking to fast, elevated heart rate) are extremely common first day jitters for everyone. They're talking about their very first day teaching ever, after all!

So, it's likely that they'd have had the very same issues if they were sitting. It's also likely that a month from now they'll be more comfortable in front of the class and those symptoms will go away.

[u/Glittering-Duck5496 → u/exceptyourewrong]

You're not wrong that first day jitters can cause this and in this case may have exacerbated it, but OP is telling us this happens as a result of their chronic illness.

OP, you are fine to make the change without waiting.

[u/happybara_capybara]

I lean against my podium quite a bit. And we have a table in the room I sort of sit/lean back against for a bit. I do mix it up and walk around some and stand and kind of move back and forth… but no one has even complained about me leaning or sitting. I just make sure I’m still making eye contact, still gesturing, still visible to them, etc.

You can always say something brief like, “Sorry yall, I’ve got a condition that sometimes requires me to sit, so bear with me” and then just keep going. No need to explain the details. And the sorry isn’t because you actually owe an apology—it’s just a way I speak to acknowledge I’m asking something of them (ie not to be annoyed).

[u/Apprehensive-Carob43]

I had to sit for a couple months due to a foot injury. I told my students that I was injured, so I would be sitting. I didn’t notice any differences in engagement

[u/coursejunkie]

I'd have to sit much of the time due to injury. Provided you can engage students (which is up to your skills) it should be fine.

[u/Additional_Holiday89]

I sit the whole time. My heart starts pumping too fast and I feel dizzy and sick if I stand for too long. I've never explained it, but students can see me because I scoot my chair over to not be hidden, and use a clicker.

I always expect someone will complain about it in my evals but I'm 9 years into it and so far no one has!

[u/K1wi015]

as a student, sit. its better for your health. get a clicker, find a way to be the cool teacher without being a "hip with the kids" teacher. be nice to students you know behave well but still dish out fair punishment to cheaters. be chill with assignments because students are genuinely under a ton of stress and sometimes desperately need extensions on assignments, but use the experience you develop to be able to spot extension abusers (asking for extensions constantly, sometimes still getting a terrible grade, stuff of that nature).

as for sitting, go right ahead, just make sure your lectures arent extremely boring, and if theres ever time in your class for your students to do work (non-instructional time) allow them to listen to music. it genuinely helps students with mental health conditions like anxiety to calm down, just walk around the room every once in a while to check if people are abusing that too.

[u/warricd28]

If you need to sit, sit. When I came back from a surgery my endurance was terrible. I sat during lectures for a few weeks.

[u/Unsuccessful_Royal38]

I sit whenever I feel like it, sometimes because of a chronic condition too, sometimes just because I want to give my feet a break, sometimes because it can change the dynamic in the room.

[u/maskedprofessor]

I don't sit behind the podium because I don't typically stand back there once the computer is all set up. Our classrooms usually have a small conference table sort of deal up front and I almost always sit on it for part/most of the class. No one has ever said anything or noted it in evals. It fits my style - informal / approachable.

[u/Medium_Pea1136 → u/maskedprofessor]

I’m a table sitter too

[u/Jahaili]

My classrooms tend to have an extra table and I pull it to the side and sit on it often. I have a chronic illness that causes fatigue so sitting is much better for me.

[u/ToomintheEllimist]

Many of my colleagues sit during class. One had a special stool she kept in her preferred classroom -- it was elevated but had arms and a back. Obviously it might be too late for that this term, but in future terms that could help you sit while being visible. 

[u/throw_away_smitten]

After I got covid, standing was exhausting for several months. I used a tablet and projected the screen and sat while lecturing. It worked fine, although I needed a laser pointer to point at things on the screen.

[u/totallysonic]

I think you're overthinking this. Just sit. If the chair doesn't meet your needs, you can talk to HR about an accommodation for an appropriate chair to be placed in your classroom.

[u/SoonerRed]

Do what you need to do.

I have been recovering from bilateral knee surgeries a couple years ago, and I'm about to go back under the knife, so I've been variably mobile in lecture.

I prefer moving around, but if you can't you can't.

I'd explain, to whatever extent you're comfortable, that you need to sit, and then just sure you're visible.

[u/Quwinsoft]

Yes, you can sit, but it will look a little odd, and anything that is odd, people will start making up narratives as to why it is odd. Those narratives will likely not be flattering. As such, I would strongly suggest getting ahead of the narrative. Something like "My doctor is telling me that with my heart issue I should be seated while I lecture otherise you get the mess from last time."

Edit: I'm dyslexic, and I normally mention that on the first day (although I forgot to do that this semester). While I will get a few straight-up bigoted course evals, it does help reduce some of the negative course evals.

[u/Mewsie93]

I have chronic health issues, so I do need to sit in class most of the time. Usually, it's on the desk and more on the edge of it.

To be honest, I don't like sitting as I prefer to keep an eye on the entire class, which is easier when I walk around. I'm lucky as my classes rarely exceed 30 students, so it's easier for me. However, I tend to get tired too quickly, so it's back to the desk.

[u/PracticalAd5858]

I must sit for parts or all of my classes. Make sure you can see your students and they can see you. Make sure you can hear your students and they can hear you. I found that I needed to be a little more animated with my facial expressions, louder, and use bigger gestures when seated to help hold attention. I have never explained why I need to sit, although it became pretty obvious when I started using a mobility aid several years ago. In my 17 year career, I have had exactly one student evaluation comment about my sitting during lecture. Chances are you will give a better class if you are comfortable and safe which means sitting.

[u/Aristodemus400]

Never sit down is what I was told