New Perspectives

             On Thursday November 15^th I observed Geoff’s morning classes again, two classes of grade nine honors classes. This week they were reading the play “Dracula” aloud while acting out the parts at the front of the room. The kids were so involved and excited to be doing such an interactive reading of the play, hamming it up and goofing around in the skin of their new characters. It was wonderful to watch them get excited about reading a play. One student H was speaking her lines in an English accent, and doing a stellar job of both entertaining the class and reading her lines. Missing a few words a few of her lines another classmate acting with her began to interrupt and correct H when missing a word. After a few times of the interruption Geoff showed his concern and asked the student to please stop correcting H and told her that she was doing a wonderful job. The play continued forward without another interruption to H about her lines. The next classroom had the same itinerary, while I didn’t observe all of the play in this class, as I was helping another student in the hall, I noticed immediately the difference in comfort level within the class. This class was shyer with each other, not giving half the enthusiasm while reading lines as the first class had. The student reading the part of Dracula was stiff and quiet even though she happened to be an actress very involved in theater throughout Red Deer. Both classes of English 9 honors, both reading the same play, but the environment and feelings if trust between the students in the second class was very different. I find it interesting how the dynamics of the class affect the success of an activity just as much as the planning of executing the activity can be.

                I asked Geoff this week about his policy on late assignments, doing a project about the rules of a classroom myself I though getting his opinion about specific rules would give me some perspective on my own. I had implemented a rule stating: Late assignments have an automatic 10% dock and lose 2% for everyday late afterwards. Geoff explained that his rules used to be something similar, but as a department (English at LT) they decided that late marks on assignment don’t properly reflect the intellect of the student, rather, a behaviour. After thinking about this perspective, I decided to change my rule and thought process reflecting late assignments. I don’t believe that a student should have a grade reflecting his behaviour rather than his actual accomplishments in the class.

                Today was a great observation day, I had many great opportunities to reflect on my philosophies about teaching, and change some of my perspectives about students themselves. I think Geoff is a wonderful teacher and a great figure to look up to, I have already learned so much by analysing his assignments and hearing his opinions about issues we discuss in school. I still hold many concerns, like how to change some dynamics of a class like the second period of the 9 honors class to make them feel more comfortable, and therefore have a better environment to learn in. But I feel better prepared to someday handle concerns like this, I think all teachers have concerns about all types of classes, but pushing your perspectives out of the normal box, and confiding in other teachers to find different perspectives is a career long battle.