The gaze

This is a picture of the students' field of vision on a typical day of class. Notice the things which they are looking at and those which they are not. They are looking at the classical chalkboard (or here - eraserboard) and the teacher's desk. Granted - the teacher I was observing (as well as myself) did not sit at the desk much during classtime. Both of us engaged the students while standing up and walking around the room. This is very helpful in trying to engage the students in such a way that they are connecting with the teacher. But what about each other? Is it important for them to engage with each other? Without me elaborating on that at all I think it can be said that students working together in different ways is clearly beneficial to them. The skills they develop here will have to help them in the future.
Doesn't the "gaze" have much to do with this? People now more than ever are visual learners. Instead of making the teacher the focal point in the classroom - when possible - I had the class get into a circle with myself at one of the same desks that they sit at. I tried to guide rather than dictate the flow of learning. In circle formation, with everyone's gaze focused on everyone else...people were much more involved. It was harder to not participate or nod out of the conversation. People felt much more a part of a class - as though they had a serious hand in it. They were part of the process of instruction rather than simply the brunt of it. They were constructors rather than receivers.