"Don't do anything that will make you look stupid"
In my ELL Strategies and Practices class, our professor talks a lot about his own experiences as a teacher and is always trying to give us advice on what to do in our own classroom. My favorite piece of advice is "Don't do anything that will make you look stupid in front of your students." It just makes me laugh every time he talks about it or tells a story where this theory of his came in handy. He believes that if there is something within the classroom that you may not be fully confident about doing, make the student do it instead. These are mainly silly things like passing out papers, or pulling down the projection screen. He claims that doing these things, and possibly messing them up, will make your students think you're an idiot. He told a story about how one of his kids was the main person to pull the projection screen down when needed (this professor claims that this activity makes you look like an idiot because it is rarely pulled down perfectly on one try and then you stand there trying to figure it out, so he pawns this job off on the student). This student pulled down the screen, and as he was walking away, the screen fell and hit him in his head. Now of course this professor made sure the kid was alright and sent him to the nurse's office just to be safe, but he said instead of feeling sorry for this kid, all he could think was that he was glad it wasn't him. He said it would have been remembered by the students forever, and he would have been known as the teacher who had a screen hit him in the head. This story was just a funny little anecdote, but I wonder whether this strategy of his is really useful or not. Sometimes I think he is right and that you have to look professional in front of your students and look like you know what you're doing. I also think though that when you can admit to not really knowing how to do something, it can make you more relatable to the students and they may feel a little more comfortable in the room with you, which in my opinion can lead to far more in depth discussions if the students aren't intimidated by you. Just some thoughts for the day...
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteThis post made me laugh out loud in the library (which ironically made me look stupid haha), but I enjoyed this so much. I think I know exactly who you're referring to because I remember him telling my class similar stories. I definitely agree with your closing thought that while it can be amusing during some instances, a majority of the time students will feel more comfortable around the teacher if they are down to earth and not afraid to admit to not knowing or being wrong.
I would have to agree that there are some mean-spirited students out there who would judge their teacher based on a mistake or a mishap with classroom equipment. But, students might also become annoyed if tasks like that are constantly pawned off on them. They might think you're too lazy to do them yourself and that you're just using them. That can't be good for your teacher-student connection. I agree with your final statement that it's best to be up-front and honest with them. The more real you are with them, the more they'll accept you, mistakes and all.
ReplyDeleteThis story was pretty funny but I do question his motives when it comes to his students helping out. I think it helps the kids to become involved in the classroom and it gives them some responsibility. Although it is important to not look stupid in front of your students, I think that has to deal more with the content than not being able to pull down a projector or handing out the wrong number of papers.
ReplyDeleteAs a future teacher I do have to admit that I am nervous to make a fool out of myself, but Id rather make a fool out of myself than do it to one of my students. This story is funny and I can remember my teachers doing this stuff all the time but I just think, like you said Suzanne, you just have to be real with your students, you're human just like they are. Level with them sometimes. Great post!
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