It is really amazing, the differences between the students who were my students last year, and those who weren't. For those whom I've had before, teaching is easy, enjoyable and appreciated. They participate more or less freely and give me a ton of respect - not the artificial kind, but the kind where they'll be making a lot of noise and shut themselves up when it's clear I'd like to continue. They truly respect my opinion, not just because I'm the teacher, but because they trust me on a personal level.
A paragraph like that denotes that I must mean to make a contrast, but it's not as well-defined as that. Among the students I haven't had before, are many who are exactly as I described the others, but many more who sit like zombies through most of my lessons as if a one-way mirror separates us. When they chit-chat, they think I don't see or hear. They don't listen unless they're directly spoken to, and claim to not understand because of it. They show only artificial respect, participate only when necessary, and are coming around to respect my opinion.
I think there are two major factors at work: typical dictation-style teaching and my out-there, high energy, fast-paced dialogue style of teaching. My goal is to keep the students interested and on the edges of their seats (keeping in mind that it's biology, after all), always anticipating being asked a question. A student is conditioned to come to my lessons ready to learn. I know of some who avoid my lessons or hide in the classroom (though I usually find them) to avoid, well, thinking. It's downright flattering. On the other hand, the students who haven't had me are used to being vegetables in the classroom and completely uncritical - as they have been trained to do.
What amazed me in all of this is that my second-year students managed to change the way they approach my lessons so noticeably. Maybe they won't know Biology that much better than others, but they will have a better understanding of HOW to learn.
In my last class today, I gave a new lesson...badly. The kids helped me out (imagine saying that last year!), but with so many new words to spit out, I got tongue-tied and didn't really relay all that much information. The one part of the lesson that DID go well, however, was considering a genealogical tree. I created a "family" from the students in the class, and as one of the girls was coming to the front of the room, a boy smacked her on the ass to his delight and her dismay. He saw me look at him, and started up to get out of the room. I told him to stop and turn around. I said it several times until he finally turned and faced the wall, away from the front of the class.
Since he wasn't looking at me, I silently called the victim to the front of the class. She came up to me and I told her to smack HIM on the ass, harder. To the screaming delight of the class, he received a full windup spank.
After the din had died down, I asked him if he liked that - luckily he said no. I responded that she didn't like it very much either and that you don't do that in my classroom. Point across. I continued the lesson and finished up with a fun homework assignment to do genealogical trees of their own families - they actually seemed excited to get started.
Peace
John
