I enjoyed Ben's presentation and his insight on methods of classroom management. His story about his difficulties growing up captured the interest of the entire class and it was special because he did not just use the story as a means of giving himself a pat on the back but he showed how his story gave him a perspective that made him well suited to do what he does. It was during this story that I noticed that Ben had a special quality that very few teachers, and human beings in general, have. He engages his listeners with little effort and it feels as if his natural method of communication is captivating for his audience. That sort of natural charisma may be something that a person can emulate and grow over years of experience but to a certain extent I feel it is something you either have or you don't. In my years of going to school I noticed there were some teachers and later professors that could lecture for an hour straight and keep the whole class engaged while there were others that could not even go five minutes without losing half of the class. I think Ben would have been able to do the hour lecture. I am unsure of where I personally lay on this continuum of charisma and I am not interested in lecturing for an hour straight anyways but there are so many other benefits to that being that type of a character. I noticed certain things about Ben and his presentation that I thought made him this special of an educator.
Going back to the story Ben used to introduce himself, I think this was particularly effective because he was completely honest with the class and made himself vulnerable to us only a few moments after we saw him for the first time. He did not have the attitude of "look at what I overcame, if I can do that anyone can," that I feel often comes across when people share personal details like this. Rather it was a simple reminder that you cannot expect every student to be in a situation where they can go home to a loving two parent family in a nice house in the suburbs. It did get me thinking about my troubled students and what their life outside of school might be like. By telling the story he was empathizing with his students and I think that anyone who can do that effectively will very quickly garner their respect. Ben also took us through the story without depressing us. It was not a happy retelling of events and he certainly was not doing anything to make it seem happy but he did smile from time to time and kept a light tone of voice. He even welcomed a few interjections from the class. This lighthearted demeanor and openness made his talk seem more uplifting than it should have and it made me think that Ben would be extremely effective at calming people down in adverse situations. If I was in a sinking ship I would be happy if he was there at my side.
These qualities, paired with his innate charisma are things I have valued and strived for my entire life. Teachers like Ben are why I want to be a teacher in the first place. These types of teachers always seem positive, excited to see their students, are likable and are a bit informal but just formal enough to maintain an appropriate classroom setting. They are able to control the classroom without aggression or sharp interventions. Regardless of subject matter or of their background knowledge, students will want to be around teachers like this. I know I did and I hope to recreate that for a few of my students. Based on the model Ben presented for us, these are some of the things I picked up that I will try to employ in my room as well as he did with us: speaking calmly at all times, frequently smiling, relating to the students, giving each person a sense of belonging in the class, focusing on positives, giving students power in the class, taking ownership in the achievement of the students (good or bad), clearly outlining expectations and treating students as unique individuals.
I was particularly excited by the inclusion of his belief of treating students as individuals because I do not think it is realistic to be entirely subjective. He presented us with an anecdote about three people going to the doctor with a headache and leaving with three different diagnoses. One person had a brain tumor that required operation, one needed to alter their diet, and one just needed to take Tylenol every once in a while. If you gave each person Tylenol because that is the protocol for people with headaches you would have one dead patient, one patient that still had headaches and only one patient with a resolved issue. I have heard so many people in the credential program and elsewhere harp on the importance of being consistent and while I see there is an advantage to that, I do not see any reason not to treat students in a way that is reflective of who they are. Like it or not, that is life and school should be preparing students for life. If you always give your boss attitude and resistance and then fail to show up at work one day you will probably be punished more severely than the person who is very likable and always quick to act on commands. In the same way I might give my student a break that turned in homework every day for months before citing printer issues one day for a missing assignment. On the other hand the student that frequently blew off assignments and occasionally lied to me probably would not get that same chance after claiming identical technical problems. Humans will be subjective and we will pass judgment no matter what. Why not be open about it?
Going back to the story Ben used to introduce himself, I think this was particularly effective because he was completely honest with the class and made himself vulnerable to us only a few moments after we saw him for the first time. He did not have the attitude of "look at what I overcame, if I can do that anyone can," that I feel often comes across when people share personal details like this. Rather it was a simple reminder that you cannot expect every student to be in a situation where they can go home to a loving two parent family in a nice house in the suburbs. It did get me thinking about my troubled students and what their life outside of school might be like. By telling the story he was empathizing with his students and I think that anyone who can do that effectively will very quickly garner their respect. Ben also took us through the story without depressing us. It was not a happy retelling of events and he certainly was not doing anything to make it seem happy but he did smile from time to time and kept a light tone of voice. He even welcomed a few interjections from the class. This lighthearted demeanor and openness made his talk seem more uplifting than it should have and it made me think that Ben would be extremely effective at calming people down in adverse situations. If I was in a sinking ship I would be happy if he was there at my side.
These qualities, paired with his innate charisma are things I have valued and strived for my entire life. Teachers like Ben are why I want to be a teacher in the first place. These types of teachers always seem positive, excited to see their students, are likable and are a bit informal but just formal enough to maintain an appropriate classroom setting. They are able to control the classroom without aggression or sharp interventions. Regardless of subject matter or of their background knowledge, students will want to be around teachers like this. I know I did and I hope to recreate that for a few of my students. Based on the model Ben presented for us, these are some of the things I picked up that I will try to employ in my room as well as he did with us: speaking calmly at all times, frequently smiling, relating to the students, giving each person a sense of belonging in the class, focusing on positives, giving students power in the class, taking ownership in the achievement of the students (good or bad), clearly outlining expectations and treating students as unique individuals.
I was particularly excited by the inclusion of his belief of treating students as individuals because I do not think it is realistic to be entirely subjective. He presented us with an anecdote about three people going to the doctor with a headache and leaving with three different diagnoses. One person had a brain tumor that required operation, one needed to alter their diet, and one just needed to take Tylenol every once in a while. If you gave each person Tylenol because that is the protocol for people with headaches you would have one dead patient, one patient that still had headaches and only one patient with a resolved issue. I have heard so many people in the credential program and elsewhere harp on the importance of being consistent and while I see there is an advantage to that, I do not see any reason not to treat students in a way that is reflective of who they are. Like it or not, that is life and school should be preparing students for life. If you always give your boss attitude and resistance and then fail to show up at work one day you will probably be punished more severely than the person who is very likable and always quick to act on commands. In the same way I might give my student a break that turned in homework every day for months before citing printer issues one day for a missing assignment. On the other hand the student that frequently blew off assignments and occasionally lied to me probably would not get that same chance after claiming identical technical problems. Humans will be subjective and we will pass judgment no matter what. Why not be open about it?