A Teacher’s Thoughts

One day, after frustration had reached its peak, I gave a handout containing procedures to accomplish a task and then kept my mouth shut. It seemed that I would give the instructions and the students would then ask questions without reading or thinking. My sixth grade students, used to my usual approach of handing out instructions then “going over it” were at first confused. Then ,slowly, in their groups, they began to read the instructions. They began to help each other. They completed the assignment. They learned. And I remained sane.

I am thinking of this after reading PowerPointless on Classroom20.ning.com. I was confusing two learning modalities, written, verbal with the auditory. Students were forced to pick one or the other to pay attention to. Because I expected them to listen to me they shifted to auditory. They were unable to easily shift back when it was time to work so when they forgot what I said, they asked questions. They, of course, all forgot and therefore all asked questions. I was going crazy. “These kids can’t follow instructions.” was my thought. Now I know that I short-circuited their ability to do so.

As far as using PowerPoints in class, I have always felt that the medium was suited for self-guided content instruction, to replicate me around the room. I have used PowerPoints for stations, as additional support material and rarely for all group presentations. What I have seen in use by many teachers is just a snappier lecture format.

Considering this article, I will likely go back and revise some of my slides. As with all technology tools, and non-technology tools, pedagogy comes first.