A Native Returns 2

A NATIVE RETURNS #2

A department head’s duties include the visitation of classrooms in his department. This duty, often misunderstood by the young teacher, provides the supervisor with an opportunity to become acquainted with the teacher in his professional element, the classroom.

Although we go out of our way to put a teacher’s mind at ease, the young teacher tends to regard the visitation with mingled horror and alarm. The object is not to find something wrong but to correlate teaching objectives, to bring the experience of other teachers to a particular teacher, and to gather successful ideas which may be passed on to others. The visitation also serves as a part of the evaluation process, but the teacher who has the interest of the student as his number one priority has no cause for concern.

A few days ago while walking down the corridor, I noticed an English classroom in which small groups of students were busily engaged in discussions. Curiously wondering what form of student involvement was taking place, I wandered in and listened.

Miss Marston’s freshman English class had divided itself into groups of four students; each group was intently discussing and interpreting an assignment they had read. They were not just going through the motions; they were really involved with their opinions and, at the same time, giving courteous attention to the expressions of others.

Occasionally, someone in the group would raise his hand, and the teacher would come over and clear up a point or clarify a literary device. Then the group enthusiastically continued its business.

At a signal from the teacher, the groups quickly and quietly became a solidified whole with one group of four serving as a discussion panel. The members of this group gave a systematic analysis of their conclusions and commented with poise and self assurance on questions tossed at them by their classmates. The teacher’s preparation was revealed by the fact that she had to insert herself so infrequently into this little classroom drama.

Speaking of drama, later that same day I took a seat in the auditorium to watch Miss Poulin, drama coach and English teacher, put the cast of a play through their paces. As she pleaded with them to speak up, to face the audience, and to put expression into their lines, I noticed that one young student was picking up the suggestions and adeptly applying them.

This young lady caught my attention because she had been a particularly able member of the classroom panel I had seen earlier. Was the classroom experience helping her with the drama or was the dramatic experience giving her self-confidence in the classroom?

As an observer I do not believe there is a “yes” to one part of the question and a “no” to the other. As a department head, I see a correlation between the two experiences which I would not have been aware of without having made the visitations.

So, Young Teachers, relax.