It's the first day of school, and your teacher tells you to find a seat in the classroom. Where do you sit? Does it matter? Yes. It does matter where you sit in your classroom, so choose and choose carefully. Studies report that where you sit in the classroom can impact your ability to learn and the way your teacher perceives you. Guess what else? Your grade.
Then what is the best seat in the classroom?
In one study, students who sat in the front and center of the classroom received a higher grade average and scored higher on tests than those sitting towards the back of the classroom. Get this. Students sitting in the middle of the classroom also outscored students sitting behind them. This study gathered that students had a clearer vision of the blackboard and were able to focus more attention on the instructor. By sitting front and center, students were able to hear better too.
The instructors said that they also formed a better connection with the students who sat in front. Perhaps the connection is made because of eye contact and visibility and more interaction. But when you sit in the front row, you may be called on more by your teacher, mainly due to the fact that you are easier to see. So for students who are not prepared and for those who are extremely shy, the attention could cause some unwanted stress.