Why I got rid of my desk

I feel bad when I take a day off. I imagine the substitute teacher looking around my classroom, trying to locate that spot where they can clearly define their territory and mark their space as the commander-in-chief of a group of 30 four-foot-tall children. But that use of space to signify a central authority is precisely why I initially chose to get rid of my teacher’s desk. Throughout my first few years of teaching, I found myself retreating to my “station of solace.” This withdrawal to my sanctuary seemed to make my job easier. But whatever I was gaining in security, I was losing in one of the most important aspects of teaching: relationships. The desk became a territorial marker in my classroom — a space off-limits to students. The mere presence of my desk and me sitting at it detracted from the relationships I had worked so hard to build. So, it was time to let it go.

Three months into operating in a space that bears no symbol of authority, I am able to reflect on what it is truly like to teach without the holy grail of representative power — the teacher’s desk.

The first insight that I have realized from teaching without a “pedestal” is that ultimately the true authority of the “teacher” never really changes. My shield (aka desk) may be absent. But because I am invested in my craft as a teacher and devoted to educating children, my position as the “lead learner” is not challenged. Reading this, some may then argue that there really is no point in giving up the teacher’s desk. But I have found that there is much to be gained.