i read when i can. my daily routine seems to start with a quick browse through my twitter feed. yeah, it's geeky of me, i don't greet the sunshine (or whatever weather is out there). instead i grab my iphone and hit my twitter app to get it running as i pick out my clothes or head to the kitchen to forage for breakfast. it's just so much more... me.
anyway, i like to read posts from mr. don tapscott ( @dtapscott ). lately, he's been posting about the need for a reform in teaching. he's been really keen on this subject for a little while now, probably because of his interest in how technology has been affecting society in all sorts of situations, particularly in the youth.
i can go on about mr. tapscott and how great his work is, but he might get embarrassed so i'll just say that he's really got a good brain in that skull of his. i really like how he thinks. mr. tapscott, if you're reading this, this blog entry was inspired by you.
there's no question that kids nowadays are not the same as we were waaaay back when. i notice this even in my everyday dealings as an elementary substitute teacher. i sub in a school where cellphones and personal entertainment devices (mp3 players, digital cameras, portable gaming devices) are not allowed to be on the students' person during school hours. it is a small independent school, and that rule makes sense to me. if phone calls need to be made, the office is right there. maybe i'm old fashioned but, i don't think a kid needs to be listening to their mp3 or playing the latest pokemon game while i'm teaching a pertinent lesson on dividing decimals with base ten blocks. so the need for those things aren't on the top of my list.
however, i really like the idea of web access in classrooms. whenever i have the chance, i try to get the kids to use the computers they have in the class. today wasn't one of those days, but i know that if it was possible, the kids would have reacted differently to this morning's classroom work.
i spent almost 20 minutes reading a story about brother andré from montreal and barely got further than when he was just accepted into the brotherhood. i had to spend another 5 minutes to explain what i had just read to the kids, because they just didn't stay focused on the story.
instead of just reading them brother andré's story, i would have had them break up into small groups, given them different points in the saint's life to research online for about 15 to 20 minutes, then have them collaborate in telling me his life story in ten minutes. this wouldn't have just been a one time exercise. the students still have a project to do on a saint of their choice. this exercise would have familiarised them to sites that carry information they'd be needing for their own research. if only it happened.
so that was the daydream i had today, as i followed instructions that were written on the agenda. when i have my own class, mr. tapscott, i'll do you proud.
which brings me back to kids these days. the class i taught today acted in a way i lovingly like to refer to as sedate. they were not unruly, thus "well behaved", but they also felt about two steps away from being braindead. they didn't react to anything i said. as a teacher, i want my students to feel like they matter to the lesson. mind you, they matter for every second of the lesson whether they feel it or not, because it's them who'll be tested in the end. but that sense of engagement i want them to feel is priceless. if they feel like they add value to the subject matter, they will want to be more engaged, and would be more open to learning more. even as i type, it sounds like i want to scam the kids into thinking they matter to something they otherwise wouldn't matter to... but i want them to realise that they actually
do matter, that they are their own catalysts for broadening their own horizons.
and how to accomplish this? well, with all my experience in a classroom environment, i've narrowed it down to a few key points.
1) be interesting. be human.
i'm not saying that you aren't an interesting person, but the way you portray yourself to a class has to hold their attention. and we like to have their attention on us. don't be the teacher from ferris bueller's day off ("bueller?... bueller?..."). show that you're passionate about the subject matter. even if you sound slightly crazed, the enthusiasm you emit will be reciprocated. and if you don't like the subject matter (like dividing decimals using base ten blocks), tell them. show them that you feel emotion. sympathise with them that it's not going to be an easy thing for you to teach and it possibly may be difficult to learn, but you'll do your best to make it as painless for them as possible. they'll appreciate it, and will want to talk to you. like humans do.
2) be open-minded.
these kids don't know how it was when you were their age. they have a different sense of everything from you. so let them teach you something. how comfortable are you with learning from a young whipper-snapper? they really do have something to teach you. it could be something as simple as having one of them rundown the hierarchy of ancient egypt for you and the class, or as complicated as showing you how to divide decimals using base ten blocks... yes, i learned that from a child today, and i'm so glad i did. i may never use it for my own personal calculation needs, but if i ever have to teach it again, i know exactly how to, because a 12 year old taught me how.
3) be consistent.
this is what i try my best to do when it comes to discipline. oh, it's not all fun and rainbows in my classes. i rule with an iron fist and a smile. i tell the students from the get go that "we have all this work to do. let's get it done as much and as well as possible so you can have less homework." they like that last part of "less homework" so i emphasize throughout the day that in order for that to happen, i'll be making sure they work. i also tell them that i am at their disposal if there are any questions. it's easier than guessing the answer at home.
they also know not to waste my time or act a fool in my class. i don't like to yell at them so much. i just walk to the classroom door and point at it. they know it means "this door is not locked so i can freely leave this class and try to waste my time in the principal's office." it just takes a few gestures for the kids to know what's up. they catch on faster than you think, and it takes less time than lecturing the class every time little timmy decides that he should be talking while you are. this way, the kids wanting to learn don't lose their train of thought while you teach, and everyone is more efficient with their time.
(if you do have extra time, you can use it to play a game at the end of the day or something rewarding like that after all their hard work. don't promise them rewards, just give them unsuspectingly. yes, be consistent with surprises... haha.)
basically, be the teacher you'd want to have. whatever your teaching style, do it with conviction and confidence. if this means that you'll teach in a "less conventional" way. do it. i think
some things are easiest taught and learned through "old school" methods. for example, i like arithmetic drills and verb conjugation tests. but that's my personal preference. however, a
lot of subjects can benefit from a more student collaborative and interactive environment, like my daydream about the saint andré story. when students are tuning out from a subject you're teaching, don't be scared to try a different approach to reel them back in. you'll find that they'll leave the class at least remembering that the lessons were taught differently, and that's one step towards them retaining their subject matter.
and let the students know that they matter. workers will do good work if they feel good. the same goes for students.
