A good class starts with a good introduction

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After many weeks of anticipation, I finally received word about my school placement and had my first full day in the classroom on Thursday. So far, I am thrilled with the teachers and classes (I was blessed with two!) that I will be working with. I eagerly started planning my first activity from the moment I left the school (and finished preparing it that night), so I am all set for next week.

As always, I learned and observed so much from this week’s practicum, but the main point that I want to stress is how important it is to make a strong introduction.

During my school visit two weeks ago, the teacher introduced me by name and said I would be observing the class from the day. The students in that class didn’t interact with me unless I asked them a question–and even then, they didn’t seem excited to be talking with me. This week a different teacher reintroduced me to the same class, but he talked a little bit more about what my background and interests (Japan, Pokemon, IB). The difference between their attitudes before and after the introduction was astounding.

Whereas most students pretty much ignored my presence before the introduction, after being introduced they were much more likely to call out to me or tell me a fair bit about themselves when I asked. As if the difference in their attitudes wasn’t jarring enough, after going through about half the class and trying to get to know the individuals, I moved over to the second class to observe for a bit. There, I met the same silent indifference as the first week. Yet, at the start of the next period, when the teacher introduced me exactly how he introduced the first class, again I was met with a much more positive attitude and many smiles.

It’s hard to say whether the shift in attitudes was due to the way that I was introduced or the actual content of the introduction, but either way I could see that the introduction made a big difference. I hope that, after this coming Thursday’s activity where I get to talk to the remaining halves of the classes and invite them to get to know me through an activity, I will have a solid base with them upon which we can build and strengthen our relationships. Although I am doubtful that any of these gifted children are in desperate need of that one adult to bond with and turn to in times of need, it will be interesting to see what kinds of bonds I can form and how else I can help my students. If, by the end of the practicum, I can inspire one student to take an interest in something they might not have otherwise found, I think I will have found the value in forging student-teacher relationships.