“On that note, if there are no more questions, please get started on pages 28 through 32 in your workbooks.”
It was that sort of thing which brought grumbling and groaning from my students. If there was one thing they hated about Mr. Savelle’s class, it was that point at which I stopped talking, they stopped asking or answering questions, and quiet work began. It was my own fault, of course. I was one of the few teachers in my team who enjoyed being at the front of the classroom for much of a period talking. The idea of performing for a captive audience appealed to me.
On those occasions when I handed out graphic organizers in preparation for a writing assignment, or instructions for a partner game, or worksheets designed for grammar skill building, the curtain closed on Mr. Savelle’s Phantasmagorical Side Show and the audience was left to quietly go about its work. Finally, I could sit down.
Perhaps I wasn’t doing things right and should have spent more time out of the spotlight, letting the students do the heavy lifting. In the end, of course, I think they did. I think I succeeded in most cases in helping to foster the academic growth of many young minds. My performance in front of the class was never about me, but about the all-important learning and exploration that had to be done.
What about you? Do you prefer to stay out of the way? Or do you enjoy the spotlight at the front of your classroom? How would you describe your teaching method?