Day 11 of the Reflective Teaching Blogging Challenge asks us to consider our favorite part of the school day.
Since I teach college, I don't actually get to be with the students all that much compared to K-12 folks. So of course, being in the classroom is pretty great. I cherish that time.
Being pregnant has really confirmed how special being around other human beings engaged in a similar task can be. I often feel sick or just plain exhausted, and there have already been many a day where meetings, prep, and grading are nearly impossible to do. But once I get into the classroom, there is a sort of shared energy that comes to life. It doesn't matter how I'm feeling, because I swear, we start feeding off each other, and after a few minutes whatever I'm feeling kind of drops away.
I can usually pinpoint the moment it happens. The first 10 minutes or so can be awkward, even if I'm feeling great. I am often nervous and it takes me a while to get into the lesson. (It's probably the same for them, too.) I've read that it takes about 15 minutes to really get our brains engaged in a task. I believe it-- about that time (provided the lesson plan is OK!) everything we've brought into the room kinda drops away and we can get into the task at hand. That shared energy is magical!
1 comment:
Reading about the "15 minute warm-up" rule makes me feel better. Gives me information I need to better devise my lessons. If the first 10-15 is about warming up, then best to save the more rigorous, confusing, "disturbing" material for a bit later. I keep forgetting our brains function like muscles. I tend to dive in a bit to suddenly, thinking I've got to use the time wisely, especially in 50 minute class. But I see how that would be counterproductive. Thanks!
Post a Comment