Board Game Arena

With Teacher's desk, is there a way to play the improvement first before the occupation? The card says 'When you use the action space you can also play an occ', which seems to suggest you could play either first. But on BGA you have to play the occ first?

It's barking mad, but "each time you use" actually means "strictly before you use". So no, you have to get the occupation first, and then the improvement.

Perhaps I misunderstand the situation, but in nearly all boardgames and cardgames, you must first play the card with the effect. Only then does it take effect, and can start triggering in the future.

We're talking (I believe!) about the situation with Teacher's Desk already down. Teacher's Desk reads:

Each time you use the Major Improvement or House Redevelopment action space, you can also play 1 occupation at an occupation cost of 1 food.

So when you move your family member to the Major Improvement space, first of all Teacher's Desk triggers and you may play an occupation, and then the effect of the space itself happens and you can play an improvement.

Msclark is 100% correct here, that's how "each time you use an action Space" timing works in revised Agricola

Yes, this is about Teacher's desk already being down. It's all fine if that's the official rules, it's just very confusing language!