The best lessons that I’ve conducted or experienced have been
those with a few visitors in class to observe or take notes. Usually the
thought of being watched, assessed or monitored would give teachers a little
anxiety or create apprehensions related to unpredictable student behaviour or
inability to execute the lesson as planned. I feel no exception considering the
fact that I usually go over my lesson ten times in the head before the management
actually walks in to make an analysis.
Therefore, I think it can be helpful to evaluate the factors
that could contribute to the success of a great lesson or assessment.
To begin with, it’s very important to absorb the objectivity
of the act. Management is in your room to assess the amount of learning
happening with all your best efforts. It is not the enemy or a movie critique
who is going to judge you on personal liking or dislike. There will always be areas
of development and falling short of perfection is but an indicator of growth
and progressive paths to lead on.
The next step to follow is closely connected to your personal
aura. A pretentious teacher is a predictable and boring teacher. The extra
smile or a louder voice comes across as an exaggerated theatrical performance.
The personal energy matters and should be in balance with the overall class
mood and expectations. The zeal and enthusiasm should come across as the lesson
picks up momentum. The spark that the observation team is looking for does not
necessarily involve the teacher most of the time. It lies in the reflection
that comes through the student participation.
The class routines or rituals should come through naturally
without any effort. Any sudden changes made to impress the team could backfire
and the anticipation on whether they would flow smoothly or not could show on your
face evidently. A teacher who holds faith in the system in motion holds
confidence and the ability to counter problems without losing her focus and face.
Another compelling factor that adds value to the lesson is
knowing your students well. An observant teacher can tell which way to look
when searching for an effective beginning or needs a blend of different
flavours to her discussion. Avoid the single-minded, concentrated call outs and
enjoy the dynamic voices available in your classroom. Even the weakest link in
the room needs to be heard and accommodated. Your attention to detail will
easily win the management over.
As you move forward with the lesson, you might counter bad
behaviour or non-serious learners. The idea is to stop the lesson and deal with
the situation at hand. Ignoring the scenario will not only aggravate the
negativity but make you look accepting and helpless. The amount of time you
spent on correcting the conduct should however, be reasonable and effective.
Follow the code of discipline and familiar methods to ensure quick resolve.
Also be sure to applaud the offenders once they settle down and respond as
desired to meet the lesson objectives. It will ensure their continued commitment
to the lesson.
The lesson itself should always be interactive, activity based
and student engaged. Once the teacher understands her role as a facilitator,
she can focus on executing the above mentioned points which are in reality the
backbone of any successful classroom.
An environment conducive to learning. A popular and accepted
norm in the field of education. However, a conducive environment is a product
of many positive components such as objectivity, balanced energy, faith in the
system, equal opportunity, acknowledgement of growth and most of all, “Progressive
Paths to Lead On!”
