Hi Kathryn, I agree with you on the point about lighting and the setting of the stage for learning. I teach at nights so I have to come up with alternative ways of keeping the students focused on what is going on in the classroom. The seating issue that you address is something that needs to be taken care of from the beginning by position the tables like you do you are bringing all of the students into the learning setting. I do the same thing and this way I don't have a back row since I use a horse shoe shape seating arrangement when I am lecturing. Gary