While the video we watched with Seinfeld was more of a teeth-pulling session, I do feel that the layout of the room in the video is appropriate for certain uses. For instance, Christenbury says we should allow for students to be arranged so they can see each other for group discussion, however, my field experience has given me a mindset otherwise. The students are often engaged with each other, not listening to the instructor, and have their backs to the teacher. I want to rearrange the class before I do my lesson Friday for that very reason. I know the very presence of another person teaching might yield me better results, but I want to give the regular teacher the notion to move the desk into groups for "group activities," and not keep them there for every activity. This alone could limit student participation and your ability to question students, or see if by their facial expressions, you're asking too difficult of questions. Am I right Stacy?
I think my greatest fear, that Christenbury touches on, is when the students do not answer. I know rephrasing the question works, but what if they "won't" answer from the onset? I think this can only be overcome by trial by fire. You just have to get in there and deal with it. Am I right Valerie?
Answering questions incorrectly happens all the time in my college level courses. I have two classes where there is an individual who just doesn't get it. They add comments and answers to the discussion that are either irrelevant or incorrect. They aren't really answering a question or adding to a discussion as much as they are just talking to be heard. In both classes, these professors have given me an idea Ignoring the fact that the comment was ever made to begin with is often useful with dealing with it. I had one professor that had one of "these" students who would always answer, then add a tag question of, "Do you know what I mean?" He finally answered her question to laughter from the rest of the class, "No, I have no idea what you mean?" It gave a release to those who were tired of hearing her comment oblivious to the discussion at hand. Finally! Am I right Kendra?
I think you should pull these students aside and let them know that they need to stop, think, and then comment. Blurting things out does not help the discussion. Am I right Kitty?
~Stan
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I know it's strange, but I'm not that worried about students not answering questions. Maybe it's because I have a little experience with the "questioning method". It's true that sometimes students don't answer, but sometimes that's ok. It's important to figure out why they aren't answering. Are they unsure of the answer? If that's the case, it may help to ask some smaller questions to lead up to that question - break it down. Is the question uncomfortable or challenging? Sometimes it's ok if students don't answer those - you can just let them think about it for a while and maybe bring it up in another class. Some questions are weighty and need time to consider. Are they bored? Change activities, or better, change topic direction. Are the students just being belligerent? If that's the case, you probably have bigger problems than not getting them to answer questions. Sometimes, good teaching is responding to students, not getting them to respond to you.
saddam bombay, you are right!! :-)
I think Dr. Franklin has taught us a good tool when it comes to students not answering questions....make them turn to a neighbor or get in a small group and discuss it....then you can come back to the large group and have a student comment. Or like Dr. Morrison (350) has taught us - they can share what someone else said rather than what they said. So I think there are ways to faciliate real answers and real conversation. We just have to be creative.
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