I had Tweeted post workout the other day - pointing out how you can learn a lot about teaching while in a group class in the gym. The more I think about it, the more classes I work out in, the more it shows me how to be a better instructor.
- Don't tell me what's coming 3 moves from now - there's no way I will remember.
- Don't show me what to do and then expect me to remember 🤷 You need to reiterate and then personalize the instruction...
- When I move to the other side, I will have forgotten the movement.
- My body doesn't work like her body, and I think she should remember that.
- No, I've never done that before. So I need instructions more than once...
Are you getting the picture here?
How many times have I given students 3-4 steps worth of instructions, then been frustrated when they can't remember steps 2 and 3? Well, guess what, world? The very same thing happens to me too. I remember the first instruction and the last, but goodness only knows what was supposed to happen in the middle there.
How many times have students frustrated me because they can't remember something that I KNOW that I clearly and carefully explained? But am I making assumptions that they understood? Am I thinking that they knew what to do instead of realizing that I needed to explain more carefully, or even model one chunk at a time? How many times have I expected students to respond at MY level...forgetting that they are only 12 and LITERALLY don't have that organizational part of the brain functioning.
And now I'm back at school, getting my master's degree online, and I'm still learning so much more than just the material.
- It's amazing how quickly you start 'playing school' and realize that 'that' teacher is going to check every citation, whereas this one just wants to see that you cited.
- What's with perfect citations anyway? I mean, I get the whole attribution thing, but is it really something that you should lose points for when you miss a comma or a period? Isn't the more important point that you give credit where it's due?
- It's much more motivating to work for the teacher who takes the time to personalize feedback.
- Oh, and when they personalize feedback, they comment on the positives and not just the mistakes. Because, really? We like our work to be recognized, not just criticized.
- Grades really are nothing more than currency, are they? Earning points because a link is posted and shared correctly feels a bit like assigning grades for bringing in a signed permission form. I mean, I literally just benefited from silly points, but it still strikes me as ridiculous. The professor didn't think one of my reflections fit with her instructions, so in theory, I only did half the work. I got 85% though because I got 'all the points' for formatting, linking, etc. Good for me, I guess. But that wasn't really what mattered.
- Don't discuss your beliefs about point 5 in a reflection until you really know the teacher. They don't take well to it 🤣
- For all the complaining some teachers make about students being allowed to fix their work and/or get a new grade - or at least feedback - I can tell you, it's hard to stay motivated when all you get is feedback and a grade, but no opportunity to learn from the mistakes, fix the mistakes, and have the corrections checked and the learning cemented. Maybe that's because I'm a good student, but perhaps we treated every student as if they could be good students, they would become what we ask of them.
Learning. It's all learning. It will only be worthwhile learning if I take it with me and offer my own students the opportunity to be better through my leadership and example. Oh, and by only directing one step at a time and making sure that my instructions are understood. Seems basic, right? But it is harder than it seems. Believe me! It takes forethought, planning, and patience.
Lots of patience.
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