Bad, and the Ugly: Instructional

¶ … bad, and the ugly: Instructional experiences

Fortunately, the worst experience I had as an educator did not occur within the context of the public education system. I was a young student, in my teens, working as a counselor at a local summer camp. The camp included both 'fun' activities and some academic instruction. I was given the task of teaching a mixed group of students, in terms of their gender and abilities. The class covered basic study skills and had some in-class and out-of-class assignments.

Because it was the summer, holding the attention of the students was difficult. I initially wished to employ a 'fun' approach with the students, making use of their imagination, and doing some writing activities outside: perhaps using nature activities to reinforce basic math and science skills. However, my supervisor was an older woman who clearly did not think much of my instructional skills because of my age. She was a teacher who had a strong emotional investment in her approach to teaching, and believed that her way was the only way. She would not allow me any flexibility in the way I tailored my instruction to the needs of the students. She clearly saw me as a student, not as a fellow teacher, even though I was supposed to be allowed to teach at least part of the class.

As a result of her directive pedagogical approach, I was told what books I would have to use in my teaching, and was given strict guidelines in terms of how I should approach the material. She frequently watched my lessons from the back of the class and would quickly correct me if she felt that I was letting the class get out of control. Because the room was warm, the students were often restless. Her demeanor made me even less confident about my ability to lead the class. After class, when going over my experiences, she told me what I should have done differently, and never asked me questions about my perceptions of the sessions. She once said to me, after a session where she had been especially disruptive: "well, that was a disaster!" Because I never felt that I was allowed to 'own' my material or my class, I never established a rapport with my students.

The students were frequently bored in the class, and would obviously have rather been playing outside. Although my supervisor was more experienced, she tended to talk down to the students, and did not reinforce the lessons they were supposed to be learning any better than myself. Worst of all was the fact she never asked me what I wanted to accomplish with my class, or any independent and individual ideas I might possess.

This was completely different from my experience as an educator in a more professional setting. Even before class had begun, my other supervisor discussed the materials I would be teaching and set clear goals for me, in terms of how the curriculum would be presented and what the students were supposed to assimilate. However, she also said that she was open to suggestions, given that every class was unique, and some students might have particular challenges or strengths that I should explore. Although she did watch me in class, she never told me what she thought of my teaching style right away, when we debriefed. "How did you think the class went today?" was her usual, first question. Then, we would go over the lesson in sections and discuss what I could have done differently or what worked.

This supervisor was a true instructor -- she knew how to convey a lesson plan to a class in an effective manner, and often gave me teaching tips that enabled me to get my desired point across. She made suggestions that made my efforts more fruitful. For example, when I was trying to teach students a concept that required memorization, and asked them to recite along with me, she pointed out that some students were shy, and simply mouthing along with their friends. Having individual conferences with students and asking them to recite enabled me to target which children were still having problems, and to work with them in a less confrontational format. However, this supervisor's goal was to make my style as an instructor work, not to impose her style upon me. Her approach could be described as constructivist in nature, or encouraging me to learn as I experienced teaching, while she prompted me and encouraged me to realize my goals. In contrast, my first supervisor was highly directive.