Observing a Class: The Power of a Smile
What is effective teaching? What is an effective teacher like? Many many people and books have made a stab at answering these questions and it would be foolish to attempt to replicate them here so instead I am focusing on one simple aspect I witnessed today.
The teacher walked into the classroom. She had a big smile on her face. She greeted the class, and you could hear the smile in her voice. She made some small talk. She made eye contact with everyone. This continued throughout the class. She seemed genuinely interested in what the students had to say and paid them all equal attention as she monitored pair work. The lesson flowed nicely with different interaction patterns and high STT (student talking time).
As the students were leaving the room, one of them stopped to chat. She told me that she really enjoyed the lessons and that the teacher was kind. This is an interesting word and one I have heard used many times about teachers. My Chinese students, in particular, use it often to describe their foreign teachers. In their case it might more a reflection on the Chinese system of education than anything else. It is interesting to note though that kindness, which does not relate to purely pedagogical matters or subject matter knowledge, is considered such an important quality by learners.
Many studies have shown that teacher’s attitude and enthusiasm has a huge impact on student motivation (e.g. Williams & Burden 1997). Dörnyei claims that “[T]he teachers’ level of enthusiasm and commitment is one of the most important factors that affect the learners’ motivation” (Dörnyei, 1998, 130).
But can we all be enthusiastic and positive every single day? We all have good days and we have bad days. We are human after all. So maybe even us teachers are allowed to have moments when we don’t feel like singing and dancing and telling jokes.
But a smile doesn’t cost a thing.
References:
Williams, M. & Burden, R. 1997. Psychology for Language Teachers. CUP
Photo: The tin is already empty. Unfortunately.
ELTBerry 
A good blog post is one that resonates. Once again your text managed to stir my memory and two incidents surfaced.
When I was doing my teaching practice observations I once attended an evening session where the topic was telophone conversations (in English). The teacher told the students that on the phone it’s crucial to “keep the smile in your voice”. I agreed then, and I agree now, when you write the very same word!
Over the years there have been a couple of times when I have cried in the classroom. One of them was 19 years ago, but the image is as clear as if it had happened earlier today. I was teaching wood processing to a class of “opistomerkonomi” students. It was part of their commodity studies curriculum, and I could easily understand that the students had difficult to understand how this topic possibly could be of any importance to them! That is why I always tried to pshyce me up before the class so that I could look enthustiastic. I thought that it would be easier to keep them interested, if I didn’t look all bored myself (I also tried to organize hands on projects for them for the same reason, but that is another story). Anyway, one day one of the girls burst out:”And why do you always have look so eager?! This is a dumb topic and seeing you all exited about it makes things even worse!”. This triggered a huge cry attact! I was emotionally so
Why do I share it here? To continue on the topic of emotions, I guess. Emotions are always present in the classroom, in good and in bad. I am a true believer of the power of positive emotions in education. But sometimes emotional situations are very volatile: from hights to bottom in nanoseconds!
(Don’t even try to find any feedback from the previous lines! They are just my random thoughts triggered by your thoughts!)
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing your experience! Teacher’s enthusiasm and energy is hugely important but sometimes you do feeling like you are talking to a brick wall. One thing I have decided that it is not always possible to get them all excited about what we are doing, and that this is ok. It is enough if it is one or two or three of them, and they then spread it around them.
As for students “forced”, in this case by their employer, to study something they do not think is interesting, I actually had one like that this week! She was also quite rude about it! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree, you can never please everybody, and getting hurt by an occational comment is quite silly. Sometimes it still comes as a surprise, how close to the surface emotions are, and how easily one can get off balance.!
LikeLike
Absolutely! I was quite surprised by her “attack” and left the lesson feeling physically and mentally absolutely exhausted.
LikeLike