Conversations overheard as students leave classroom:
"I didn't understand the point of that lesson. I wish the teacher would have explained the topic more...the homework is going to be hard tonight.""Class moved really fast today. I was embarrassed to ask the teacher a question. I'm going to have trouble on tomorrow's quiz."
A teacher that never hears those comments from their students will never be successful. How do you get those conversations out into the open?
To help illustrate the importance of this let me use the following metaphor:
Did you know that unlike most heavy machinery, tanks sit idle for most of the time and can be then called into duty at a moments notice? Many mechanical problems develop if a machine is left idle for long periods of time, the system that can have the most dramatic effect on performance, however, is the fuel system. Due to condensation, water builds up in the fuel which breeds algae which in turn clogs filters and causes the engine to misfire, or stop running altogether.
A diesel engine. given clean dry fuel, will run smoothly forever
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| In this illustration the engine is the classroom, the fuel is the students,and the fuel filter is conferencing. |
The answer to a smoothly running classroom is conferencing with each of your students every day. This doesn't need to be a big thing that takes a new approach. It just requires some adjustment and using some of the following conferencing scripted examples:
- Can you explain this?
- How did you arrive at this answer/ conclusion?
- Why is this one wrong?
- Could it be done another way?
- What relationships are developing?