Notes/Reflections on the Prereading of Giovanni's "A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long"

 

    

 

Few things bring out the strengths and weaknesses of a presentation, speech, lecture, lesson, etc., than to see by video an individual's attempt at performance before an audience.  That having been stated, I offer with some modest candor my observations of the brief 20 minutes of what is hoped to have been a stimulating discussion and educational experience.

 

First, I don't like to critique my own performance, because I think that it is difficult often to give accurate assessments of one's own peformance.  I have perceived that self-criticism often leads to judgments that are too harsh or too lenient.  Therefore, whatever I may explicate about my demeanor, appearance, speech, or mannerisms viewed in the video should be taken for what they are:  highly subjective evaluations.

 

William

 

William exhibits the self-confidence, assertiveness, and approachability that all teachers should have and need to develop.  These traits, however, seem to come natural to him.  (I am convinced that personality has a lot to do with this.)  In addition, he displays a professional demeanor, but does not let this be a wedge to prevent students from feeling comfortable around him.  He is what I would call a "people person."  I really thought that his use of gestures while he spoke with the class to be extremely effective (i.e, it was effective for me were I a student), especially in that he used them to emphasize points about vocabulary cards he had passed out to the class.  Finally, the slides were very useful images to drive home what often cannot be described effectively in words.  In our planning, we had discussed using slides, and--of course--my ineptitude in most things computer-related prevented me from doing this task.  All credit there goes to William, who did a magnificent job of finding nice slides to buttress our explanations.

 

Joseph

 

Ah, me.  Now, where shall I begin with this?  Well, to start, I am much a bystander as William carries out his part of the prereading.  I'm looking at the markerboard, then at William, then at the class, then back at William (you get the picture).  I inject a few comments here and there into the discussion.  Hey, I gotta do something, right?  Then, I look at the video and see myself.  Ugh!  (You really don't know how you can appear to others until you see yourself with other eyes, and the video does just that.)  Man, am I getting old.  I didn't realize just how old I really am until I saw myself standing--pot-bellied, gray, short--well, I've always been that.  In my mind, I perceive myself--not as an aging Richard Dreyfuss--but as the 18-year old naive, crazy, undereducated kid who somehow passed the ASVAB and got into the military.  Now I'm the old, naive, crazy...you get the picture.

 

At least I appear to be Socratic in my methodology.  Those having received no instruction on how to teach often teach as they themselves have been taught.  For my entire life, that is the way learning took place for me (besides lectures, reading, and writing term papers and essays).  Therefore, I have taught in the manner in which I have been taught.  My assumptions--though unfounded--have been that what worked for me would work for everyone.  I have discovered over the years, however, those assumptions are just that--assumptions.  Sometimes the method works, but not always.

 

At any rate, having read Smagorinsky's third chapter on planning and design, I can say that there are a number of great ideas for holding discussions that are more student- than teacher-led.  I really like the informal writing, the talk-show format, and the board game.  I have experienced the concept map and find it very helpful both for discussion and as a study guide.  The memory box and the found poem activities also appear enticing.

 

Now, back to me.  I like to Socratic method because the teacher --instead of lecturing--elicits information and answers from the students.  In other words, the students discover the answers for themselves with some help from the 'master-learner,' so to speak.  Yes, I realize that the teacher is leading the discussion, but this usually happens when the students are not familiar with or confident in discussing a topic.  Topics with which students are familiar often bring about a full and rich exchange of ideas.  I've experienced it.  It works. 

 

With the gray beard and spare tire, I could perhaps pass for the old Greek philosopher Socrates himself.  (Socratic method, get it?)  Just give me a tunic, and I think I could fill the role.  (Gnothi sauton.)  I have learned in my experiences as both a learner and teacher that--while lecure indeed has its place--few things compare to a lively discussion in which questions are asked and responses to those questions are given, which lead to new questions and new responses to those, and--you get the idea.

I notice that I address the specific, particular/local terms, then move on to a global discussion that leads the students to perceive how these terms are related and connected to one another.  In every student there is a latent Einstein or Madame Curie longing to be revealed, a sleeping genius ready to be awakened.  I truly believe that.  I see my mission as teacher is to discover the way to get that genius to show itself in every student.

 

Did I mention that my accent seems rather pronounced? 

 

 

On Writing a Lesson That Supports/Challenges Readers Working through a Text

 



The process can be summarized in the following short statements:

 

1.  Decide what standards to address. 

 

2.  Write out the specific objectives for that lesson.  Try not to have too many or too few.

 

3.  Obtain the materials necessary to teach the lesson.

 

4.  Attempt--whenever possible--to incorporate electronic/computer technology into the lesson.

 

5.  Plan the "hook."

 

6.  Discuss the process:  We used a word bubble in which students were to write unfamiliar vocabulary.  We as teachers cannot teach our students if were don't do the necessary research on the background of author/work.  Luck for me, I understood most of the unfamiliar words because I am from the same region and socio-economic class as the author of the poem.  However, for kids removed from the context of the text by a generational gap (or gender, race, class, or region), the text can be very difficult to understand.  And if the teacher doesn't have the advantage that I have, then it is the teacher's responsibility to do some research.  William did just that and found slides as visual aids.  Very effective.  The term discussion under my direction was intended to elicit more discussion about more abstract and global terms related to the author of the poem rather than the poem itself.  It helps to know something about the author in order to understand a work written by that author.  Hence, I did a little research on the author's life and the kind of literature she wrote, as well as when she wrote it. 

 

7.  Assess what the students have learned. 

 

GNOTHI SAUTON  "Know Thyself"