Monday, January 27, 2020

Things may be different than they seem

The teacher is sitting at the front of the room while children are working. It may seem like the teacher is taking a rest, but in truth, that teacher may be observing the room, watching closely to notice what's happening with regard to a particular student, group, or effort.

The child is alone in the hall. The teacher is not there. Why, you may wonder. Sometimes, a teacher may leave a child by themselves for a few minutes for good reasons. Of course the teacher has to believe that the situation is safe and justified, but again, things may not be as they seem.

A teacher may speak to a child with the kind of candor that seems abrupt, but unless you talk to the teacher to understand the roots of the discussion, it is difficult to judge the situation.

I guess what I'm saying is that none of us should be too quick to judge an educational observation without a conversation. Of course there are extremes, both good and not so good, that we can judge, but in general, it's not a good idea to judge a situation. Instead, ask questions such as what are your expectations or how can I help rather than assuming you understand what's going on. Lesson to self as well.