Avoid the back of the class; it’s a reserve for cheeky students

NAIROBI: It is a fact that most naughty students love sitting at the back of the class so that they can be as cheeky as possible without the teacher’s knowledge. Our goal in school, however, is not to be cheeky.

Where you choose to sit in class will definitely affect the quality of the notes you take during a lesson and what you actually get from the teacher.

Whether you are a cheeky student or not, the following tips will help you locate a suitable sitting position in class:

Keep away from the back of the class: Ask any teacher and they will tell you that majority of students who sit at the back generally lack interest, and are not keen on paying attention to the lesson. The noisemakers who prefer chatting or passing notes under the desks as the teacher lectures prefer the back.

When you sit at the back, you may also not be able to hear what the teacher says, especially now when some of the classroom sizes are quite big. Secondly, one may also be able to see what the teacher is writing on the chalkboard. Thus it is preferable to sit closer to the front.

Seats next to windows and doorways are a no-no: These are very distracting positions. There are many distractions that make you lose interest in class. When you lose focus, you start daydreaming or paying more attention to what is happening outside than what the teacher is saying. Sit at a position where there are least visual distractions so that you can pay attention to the teacher.

Avoid friends/noisemakers: You should only spend time with your friends out of class. Class time is not the time to socialise. Only sit with your friend if you are sure you will manage to resist chatting with him or her. Otherwise, sit far from your friends. Avoid also sitting with notorious noisemakers. You may never focus because they will ensure you chat throughout the lesson.

Be sure you can see the teacher: Sitting at a position where you can clearly see the teacher will help you concentrate more on what she is saying. You are thus able to stay focused and take better notes.

Ensure you can hear the teacher: When you are able to hear what your teacher says, you will definitely write better notes. Choose a seat nearer the front as a strategy to ensure that you are able to clearly see and hear the teacher.