23rd January 2012
 
I know ‘The One Show’ on BBC at 7 in the evening isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.  It does, however, have some interesting little articles that make me think and teaches me things I never knew.  For example, last week, the resident ‘animal man’ taught me about the Swift.  Unbelievably, the Swift flies non-stop for 2 years after it first leaves the nest.  What was more interesting though was how it began exercising itself in preparation for the 2 year marathon.  The sight of a bird engaging in press-ups and Pilates in a one-foot-square space, was a sight to behold.  And so it is with teaching.

              Preparing lessons for students is not easy; simple but not easy.  It’s a very personal thing.  Thoughts about materials are different.  Thoughts about progression are different.  Thoughts about differentiation are different.  That’s the way it should be, because as the old saying goes, it takes a whole village to bring up a child.  My preparation is based upon these 3 questions I ask myself after the lesson has finished.

1.       Did they enjoy it?

2.       Did I enjoy it?

3.       Did they learn anything?

A simple idea which if applied properly helps build relationships.  So when I’m looking to build an enjoyable lesson, I am looking for variety and ways to switch the light bulb on for them.  That takes preparation, experience and time.  Having materials and lesson plans provided for me by the HoD is a start, but the ideas aren’t mine so I have been adapting them as the weeks pass.  This week the theme is friendship.  The learning diet will include:

·         In table groups, discuss which 3 friends they would love to have in this classroom.

·         Which celebrity will they choose out of the 6 that I provide for them? 

·         Which 5 words best describe the qualities their friends MUST have?

·         Write a ‘Friend Required’ advert for the local newspaper.

·         Draw your ‘Super-Friend’ that has every quality you require.

As they make their choices I will be delving deeper into student personalities; teasing out their psychological reasoning.  Some students might be upset not to be chosen by their ‘friends’. BLP in action. Talking about their reasoning will cement learning.  Another small contribution to their daily preparation for flight after their 975 day secondary school career.

               

                It is now 2.15pm and I am waiting outside Room 304.  I love the new location.  It lifts my spirits. I remind myself that any new school building would need serious design thought. ‘Miss’ is kindly finishing on time so I can open the PC before Year 7 arrives in dribs and drabs.  As I stand here, it’s a little warm and we could do with some fresh air, but we’ll soldier on.  I place the starter activity on the desks.  It will be hard as they won’t know the older celebrities, but I want them to concentrate on the theme for today which is ‘Friendship’. I stand in my teaching spot and greet them all.

                “Hello Sir!  You weren’t here last week.” (She really wanted to ask ‘why’ I think)

                I nod my head a little and smile in agreement.

                “Good afternoon, sit down and get out your planners please.  Thanks.”  It’s a lovely start to the lesson; no noise and lots of smiles.  I don’t have to get attention.  It just falls into my lap as I stand there, making eye contact around the room. “Now, on your desk you will …”  V starts to talk to his friend so I stop immediately and look at him.

                “I wasn’t talking.”  He knows by now why I stop.

                I look at him, open my eyes wider and cock my head ever so slightly; it’s no big deal, but I want absolute silence when I am talking.  I am about to look away and he repeats himself, but this time indignantly, as though I’ve hit him with a baseball bat.

                “I don’t want to remove you V, but just stand outside for me V,” I state quietly, yet firmly.  He stands unhappily and receives knowing, baiting, leering stares from his friends as he walks.

                I carry on where I left off as though it never happened and with the same tone of voice.  It’s not their fault he was out of order and they deserve me at my best.  “Now, on your desk you will see 6 celebrities and their biographies.”  After explaining the quick task, I set them off and stand rock-solid still, use transition time to ensure they settle quickly into a task that they need to complete in silence as it’s about their opinion.  As a few individuals begin to chat, I remain silent and use eye contact to re-direct.  After a few minutes a couple of individuals re-offend.

                “K … it’s a personal thing …” I say quietly, make eye contact again, cock my head and open my right palm at a 45 degree angle, pointing it towards her desk.  That works. It’s my subtle non-verbal behaviours that strongly influence them to acquiesce.

                This is a great lesson because it’s forcing diverging opinions to the fore.  Only one person says that he would like Stephen Hawking to be his friend

                “Why would you like him as a friend?” I ask, as though puzzled.

                “Well he’s clever and I could –“ 

I hear a person interrupt my thoughtful question-answerer.  I look at the offender and calmly say, “I can’t hear K because you’re talking over him and that’s rude.”  My lack of smile and staring eyes tells him I am upset by his actions.

“Sorry Sir.”

The learning is more important, as is K.  “Right K … carry on.”

“He’s clever and I could learn loads from him.” K is enthusiastic.

“That’s a good answer.  I am going to give you all 15 seconds to think of a reason why you wouldn’t want Stephen Hawking as your friend.”  Eyes begin to wander as they search inwardly for a reason that won’t give the game away.  “OK … anyone like to go first?”  The silence is deafening.

“I would be frightened Sir.”

“That’s interesting.  Why?”

“Because I would be embarrassed if I couldn’t understand him.”

K had to jump in, “He’s only physically disabled, not mentally!”  He seemed surprised and disgusted at the same time.

“A good point K.  I guess a lot of you thought the same thing?  A rhetorical question answered by nods.

                It’s a little further into the lesson and I introduce the other learning activities.  It’s a list of varied things to do that commit them all to making decisions about the type of friends they have or seek to have.  They need ‘reasons why’. 

One minute in and M decides to carry on talking and it’s interrupting his learning.  “M … bring your books and belongings up to this desk for now.”  I say this in a tone that expects compliance and immediately I crouch down to look at another student’s book directly in front of me.  I am doing this to give M some breathing space and not get into a confrontation situation which would interrupt the group.  If I don’t overtly look at him I can’t get the slightest bit bothered by his pouting and posturing – A win-win-win.  As he gets nearer to his new seat I stand again and move the seat back so he can slide in easily.  As he is right-handed, I move the left-hander he’s going to sit next to, over one seat.  “Come on now M … lots to do,” I say and walk away.

In this one event, there are 13 things that have helped me manage a potentially disruptive situation.  Preparation.

Over the years, the skills I have learned, practised and drilled into myself all pop out at the right time.  Without the motivation to learn new skills, prepare myself meticulously and practise, practise, practise, these moments would never happen.  Just like that Swift I told you about.  Without his long preparation for flight, he would certainly have dive-bombed to the ground wondering where it all went wrong. 

Feel familiar to you?