There isn’t enough time

There isn’t enough time

No teacher feels they have enough time with their students. However many extra hours are added to the timetable, more time is needed.

It is common that teachers start teaching the lesson as soon as possible. At the start of term or the start of the lesson, they jump right into teaching. And that’s where the trouble starts. The students push back. They are not ready. They are still in the playground, the corridor, etc.. They mutter and murmur. They stand up and walk around. They resist.

“After the lunch break, some students came into the classroom and continued playing football. Actually kicking the ball around the room. That was a clear signal to me that they were not ready to be taught Mathematics. So their needs became the lesson point for that lesson only. We talked. I learned that they needed a few minutes to transfer their minds from playing to learning. I was not willing to lose valuable teaching time. My strategy was to make the start of the lessons so delightful, exciting and interesting that all thoughts of football vanished from their minds. Once, I turned up wearing a grey military uniform that I had bought second hand. I adopted a ‘sergeant major’ voice and gave stylized instructions in a commanding tone. On another day, I kept my overcoat on, went into the classroom and sat on my desk, and began reading a nonsense poem aloud from Alice in Wonderland.” - Martin

When people think of repainting their homes they forget about the hours of measuring and buying the materials, plus the scraping and sanding that must be done before the final coat is brushed on. The same happens in the classroom. Before any teaching of a subject can happen, there has to be a foundation of a trusting relationship between the students and their teacher.

The time it takes to build the relationship, and maintain it from lesson to lesson is much less than the time it takes to bring students’ attention back to their studies lesson, after lesson, after lesson. I know. I counted!?

You ask a student to do something, and they don’t do it. They do not need clearer instructions or another explanation. They need a stronger relationship. They need to want to learn, for you; and then for themselves.

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Iniobong Lazarus

Teacher ( Business Studies, Accounting, Commerce and Bookkeeping .

2 年

I agree to this ??. The best thing I have heard from my student this term is 'I am happy whenever I see you and I don't know why". Building relationship with our students really do foster learning.

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Martin Richards CPCC

Encouraging educators to use coaching strategies.

2 年

The lack of time leads to a gradual build up of stress, which if unmanaged, can lead to exhaustion.

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