Expected, Inspected, & Respected.
"We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience."
-John Dewey |
"We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience."
-John Dewey |
I've been 6'9" since I was 19 years old and I'm used to people, especially kids, making a big deal about my height. At least, I thought I was used to it. I thought that I would be unfazed by the shocked, amazed, envious, and frightened faces elicited by my arrival in classrooms as a substitute but the volume of these responses I've seen over the past couple of days has been a bit much. I'm starting to feel like I should go live in a swamp with a donkey, or at least charge two bits a gander. I'm sure I'll get used to it, but I also want to make sure I use it to the best possible effect. I know that you have to relate in order to educate, so I try my best to play the part of the Big Friendly Giant, smiling, joking, and discussing whizzpoppers, snozzcumbers, and fizzwhizzers in the interest of making connections with students. However, I wonder if that is the best way to approach students as a substitute. One day is not enough time to build relationships with a roomful of middle-school students, and when they see me smiling, I think some may take it as a sign that I am a softie, leading them to believe that they can get away with shenanigans. I may try some A/B testing to see if the friendly approach or the no-nonsense approach is more effective.
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David Wiebe
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