I know full well the opposing arguments. It’s outdated. It’s subjective. It’s discriminatory. It’s discouraging. It’s culture-denying. But with the right touch and spirit of compassion, you’re helping your students immensely by encouraging clear and universally understood spoken language. Here’s why: It gives them … Read more
There is a phenomenon I see again and again in the classrooms I visit. As attention starts to wane . . . Eyelids droop. Fingers tap. Bodies sigh. . . . the teacher will speed up their instruction. They’ll talk and move faster as … Read more
We’ve covered the topic of speaking so students will listen extensively here at SCM. We’ve talked about the importance of not repeating yourself. We’ve talked about volume and pacing. We’ve talked about timing, pausing, brevity, clarity, and eye contact. But what we have yet … Read more
It’s common for teachers to bemoan the state of listening in their classroom. “Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself.” “I say it over and over again, and they still don’t get it.” “It’s almost as if they’ve completely tuned me out.” But … Read more
Stroll through virtually any school and you’ll hear teacher voices spilling out into the hallways. You’ll hear them echoing above the clatter of their classrooms. You’ll hear them correcting and admonishing, directing and demanding for attention. If it were an office building, library, or … Read more