A couple of weeks ago when I was reading for Consulting I came across a chapter called Teacher as Consultant. This sparked my interest since I didn't think teachers as consultants and I was curious as to how Block was going to approach the subject.
Block is talking about a high school teacher named Mr. Ward who decided to change his classroom setting by using consulting methods. The concept that caught my attention was consultant building trust. Block talks about the students having trust with one another and how we the teachers act as a third party in a "discovery mode." That we are not the experts but are there to help them build trust. For example, Mr. Ward had a student that was hurt by negative comment that was made about them in class. He then asked for permission to use as a learning experience. This lead Mr. Ward to have a discussion in class where the student express how they felt about the comments without having any disruptions, then he gave the opportunity for everyone else to speak. This allowed for the classroom culture to be re-humanized since they were able to express themselves freely and just listened to one another.
This got me thinking on how it is easy for a student to disengaged in the classroom due to their peers. We are constantly talking about respecting others thoughts and opinions in the classroom, but one thing I have trouble with is knowing when comment is affecting the student or are they joking with each other. Sure there's nonverbal cues but sometimes it can be difficult because I don't want to draw too much attention and making things worse. Moreover, if I'm comfortable enough to hold a conversation about it with the whole class. I guess this would depend on the environment I have in my classroom. I know that if it were to happen in my 1010 I would feel insecure of dealing with the problem just because there are times where the whole class discloses and others where they just stay quiet with a blank face. Although I do agree that we are the third party when it comes to our students and I trust my students with them being sincere and honest with one another, even though I think they don't feel the same with one another. I hope in that in the future I am able to build trust among my students where they feel safe enough to express themselves and have deep discussion in class. Lastly, I believe that it is up to us to do our best to let our students have the opportunity to grow and learn along the way.
#WhatAmIDoing #FawlessConsulting #Block
Hi Steph! I really enjoyed this post for a few reasons. First, I like how you brought in information that you learned from another class. It's an interesting angle to think of teachers as consultants because while they are two different jobs, they both posses a lot of similar qualities. Individuals in both professions are people who can be considered an "expert" and offer advice and information to their target audience, whether that be students or clients. Second, I love that you wrote about trust between students in the classroom because I think that's something that is often overlooked. I feel that teachers can sometimes get lost in focusing on the relationships that they have with their students that they forget about the relationships that students have with each other. If students in the classroom trust each other, it creates a much more productive environment because there will be a sense of comfort and they will be more likely to share and engage. Finally, your last point about making sure our students understand the opportunities they have in the classroom was a great reminder that we can't expect our students to trust each other if we don't trust them first. As teachers, we have to do everything we can to create a space where students feel like they can learn and grow, like you said! You are a wonderful teacher, Steph, and I believe your students truly appreciate the environment you have created for them!
ReplyDeleteSteph,
ReplyDeleteLooking at teaching as consulting is such an interesting perspective. When we did our consulting project in that class I felt my perspective as an instructor helped with my ability to consult. However, I did not consider how my newfound knowledge as a consultant could help me in the classroom. I also find it fascinating consulting skills could help with humanizing students and not simply solving problems. Integrating different skills outside of traditional pedagogical methods is a great idea.
Stephy!
ReplyDeleteWow-what a powerful post! One that I can relate to as well.
I appreciate that you pulled from a Consulting perspective. I think that you and I can agree that trust in the classroom is extremely important.
I also agree that we as teachers are the third party. Students often disengage themselves when they feel unaccepted or unwanted in a classroom climate. I will be the first to admit that I am that type of student (imma-blue-ima-dee-imma-die). If I fear that my thoughts or expressions will be shut down by the classroom or the teacher then I will not speak. We as instructors should try to avoid that at all costs!
When it comes to knowing how your students are effected by a certain comment, I think that lies within the territory of "knowing your audience". As instructors, when we pay attention to what our students are communicating with us and their peers, it is easy to pick up on those subtle nonverbal cues. If you're still not sure about how a student felt about a certain incident that happened in your classroom, I would recommend reaching out to that student and talking to them about it. The fact that you took time out of your day to show concern to that student might leave that student feeling more comfortable in class!
Keep up the great work, Steph!
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI think you brought up a great point when speaking about certain comments that may hinder another students' learning environment. While I am an advocate for heated discussions due to their ability to engage all students, I also understand that the safety of my students comes first. I think as teachers we should continue to act as a facilitator and not only help guide students through their discussions, but also speak up when something inappropriate or unneeded is said. However, this is easier said than done!
I am actually not surprised at all that Block was able to accurately correlate teaching within consulting. I think that the term teacher is just another way of saying leader or even coach. While a teacher or coach may have a deep understanding of the content or more experience, they both also require a huge amount of trust to be able to achieve the goal. In fact, (good) teachers and coaches actually learn from those who they are teaching or coaching.
You are awesome, Steph!
#Pedagoalie