Observations

“Mr. B” came to me today to ask about my schooling and how long I would be in their class. He is an EA who works with a girl at the back of the class. He told me that he is a retired teacher who was in the education system for years. He loves teaching, so he had to return to work at least part-time!

Mr. B seemed excited to have a young teacher to pass along knowledge to, so he told me as many pieces of advice he could think of throughout the lunch hour. He also told me a few things as I watched another teacher teach the class I am in PE. He mentioned changes he might make and his techniques for controlling volume and wildness in an echoey gymnasium setting.

Below is Mr. B’s list of advice:

  • Use a whistle in PE, and use it sparingly. Don’t start talking or doing anything until they are listening.
  • Follow strong routines.
  • Use non-verbal cues so there is listening and you don’t hurt your voice.
  • Relate PE to teaching emotional regulation.
  • Humour is important–especially when you or students make mistakes. It makes the difficulties of the day easier to get through and more fun.
  • Have the humility to admit when things go wrong. This helps students respect you and teaches them that it is okay for them to make mistakes too.
  • Connect with the children. He says relationships are arguably more important than intense academics. Forming relationships and respecting students will also bring them to respect you and care what you have to say. It increases their desire to learn.
  • Prayer is helpful. Often you won’t know what to do without it.
  • It’s good to use intuition when teaching a lesson plan. If your lesson is not meeting the needs of students, be flexible to change and meet them where they are.
  • Find out what the behind children are good at. Let them shine in that area so they get to feel success. This shows them that they are not failures and they can succeed. Success breeds success.
  • He suggests reading Marshall Rosenberg’s books about non-violent communication and teaching in a compassionate manner.
  • He also says to look up David Seamands who’s a Christian philosopher and teacher on inner healing. His website has some curriculum.
  • Using imagination in lessons is good. Get students to imagine things with their eyes closed like how tall Goliath might have been when standing in the classroom. It makes the stories more powerful and connects to their worlds. As they age, students are less open to this, but it is still good for them. God gave it to us. He said that Satan wants to capture our thoughts and imagination as well by bringing people into doubt and worry.

Reflections

I am grateful for Mr. B’s wisdom and insights on how to teach. I like a lot of his ideas. He seems to have a gentle, yet strategic, teaching style that is based on using routines and encouraging positive behaviours and growth. His use of routines encourages me and that is something I’m practising when I am working with students.

I’m excited about the Marshall Rosenberg books suggested by Mr. B. I looked into the author and he has so many books with great themes! I think I want to become a fan. My mom actually gave me one on general non-violent communication this summer, but I haven’t read it yet. I want to read that and several others of his books because I see it as healthy for my relationship with my parents, my future family, friends, and in the classroom. I like this method of responding compassionately because yelling at students to command attention is difficult and does not resonate with me as much. Of course, raising my voice can be important, but I want to avoid it as much as possible. I like the idea Rosenberg seems to communicate of gaining respect by being kind to students which makes them want to obey.