As our district continues to focus on students' responsibility for their own education, the Hoggatteers should quickly become adeptly prepared to face those responsibilities. In fact, in the past few posts we have focused on the importance of etiquette, manners (or whatever you want to call it), and this post should not veer very far from the same.
If there's one thing I've noticed, it is that educational supervisors are getting into our classrooms more to talk to students. After all, as the educational leader of a school, that's the principals' primary job. Now, however, these classroom visits are being expanded to include other people - learning coaches, supervisors from the district's central office, and other teachers.
They like to ask my students about what they are learning and why they are learning it. They like to see if students know where they are on the road to success, and they try to find out if a student has his/her eyes on the road ahead. They like to know that a class is properly engaged. I know that my students will have the right answers to their questions, and make a surprising impression on our visitors when they know how to properly address our visitors.
We've been told for years that a supervisor doesn't want to interrupt the lesson. They tell us not to pay attention to them when they breech our doorjambs. They say to ignore them and continue what we are doing. It's one thing to say that, but another to teach it to students. Now though, I want to turn it around. When adults knocks on or enters our door I want my students to address them. If they knock, I want a student to answer the door and shake hands. I want that student to find out the intentions of visitors before welcoming them in. Following that, depending on the desires of the visitors, students may quietly offer them seats from which they can observe the class.
If the class is diligently working, independently or in cooperative teams, and an adult observer approaches their table, I want the group to stand in recognition of their presence. When they do so, rather than wait for the adults to start asking questions, ideally I would like for my pupils to initiate the conversation and engage the adults in the activity, quizzing them and including them in the action of our topic. With this comes practice for my employable and professional students. They will learn to express themselves with maturity and respect, perhaps even learning how to ask each other questions to ensure all are included in the conversation.
If there's one thing I've noticed, it is that educational supervisors are getting into our classrooms more to talk to students. After all, as the educational leader of a school, that's the principals' primary job. Now, however, these classroom visits are being expanded to include other people - learning coaches, supervisors from the district's central office, and other teachers.
They like to ask my students about what they are learning and why they are learning it. They like to see if students know where they are on the road to success, and they try to find out if a student has his/her eyes on the road ahead. They like to know that a class is properly engaged. I know that my students will have the right answers to their questions, and make a surprising impression on our visitors when they know how to properly address our visitors.
We've been told for years that a supervisor doesn't want to interrupt the lesson. They tell us not to pay attention to them when they breech our doorjambs. They say to ignore them and continue what we are doing. It's one thing to say that, but another to teach it to students. Now though, I want to turn it around. When adults knocks on or enters our door I want my students to address them. If they knock, I want a student to answer the door and shake hands. I want that student to find out the intentions of visitors before welcoming them in. Following that, depending on the desires of the visitors, students may quietly offer them seats from which they can observe the class.
If the class is diligently working, independently or in cooperative teams, and an adult observer approaches their table, I want the group to stand in recognition of their presence. When they do so, rather than wait for the adults to start asking questions, ideally I would like for my pupils to initiate the conversation and engage the adults in the activity, quizzing them and including them in the action of our topic. With this comes practice for my employable and professional students. They will learn to express themselves with maturity and respect, perhaps even learning how to ask each other questions to ensure all are included in the conversation.
