The Silent Teacher Do you know that feeling when you are sitting in a workshop and the person presenting says something profound that you want to write down, but then you realize that whilst you are writing, you could be missing out on vital information?
Now ask yourself, how often do you do this in your own class? It seems that a lot of teachers, myself included, are actually uncomfortable with silence and feel compelled to fill it with talking. Or we feel so much pressure for time that we try to get the most out of every moment, without realising that it’s often ineffective.
I was recently introduced to the “Silent Teacher” in Craig Barton’s book How I wish I’d taught maths. It is no new or revolutionary concept to the world of education, but to me, this book was a whole new revelation. At first I thought it was silly - after all, a teacher’s job is to teach, which in my mind equated to literal talking. However, I decided to give it a go, and I am mighty glad that I did!
While the definition of the Silent Teacher can be used in any subject, I find that it is best suited when modelling a complex multistep process, like the ones you find in maths and science. Here are a few key deductions that I made after reading the book:
HAPPY TEACHER’S DAY
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