Introduction

As a small group of 11 we have been working on a score where we take different roles in a teaching situation.

We have divided the group in half so that two 10 minute classes can happen simultaneously.  We have designated different roles. Teacher, participant/student, observer.

The class lasts 10 minutes but the teacher attempts to provide the essence of what they do in this time.

We then document our experiences in these different roles, and we call this harvesting.

 We then gather to share this process.

Questions arising from the role of teacher.

 I have been in two roles thus far, that of teacher and of student but am yet to be in the role of outside viewer.

 In the role of teacher the documenting process for me brought up the many questions that are somehow to do with self evaluation and illustrate the constant negotiation that exists within the teaching process. The questions that arise are of course mitigated by the observations of how the students appear to be responding.

 The questions that arose for me in the harvesting following the teacher were as follows.

1. The logical progression of ideas - to what extent is this progression making sense for the receivers? 

2. In the providing of verbal guidance and council – the question of “over teaching”, are the verbalisations too frequent or insufficent?

3. The role of being an authority – in dealing with questions – fielding questions towards a body of knowledge or allowing the space for uncertainty, or even collaboration with the studentsunderstanding.

4. Imposing an idea or direction compared with a process of allowing the experience of an idea or for that idea to emerge from the experience.
5.  General issues such as how to involve more via eye contact, or how to generate excitement
6. The importance to open ones teaching process to questions but also feedback including criticism both good and bad and the methods with which this can be done. How to do this in an inviting way that doesnt not produce a sense of uncertainty.

Questions that arose from being in the role of Student

1. The role of teacher being a guide or an authority.   The student of course will choose either consciously or unconsciously the degree with which they follow what is being proposed.
2. As a teacher we feel the importance of how we choose to guide but interestingly as a student we often let may phase out of the offers as our attention shifts to different aspects of what is being taught.  

Conclusion

I think this exercise has been emensely profitable.  I think it so important that we constantly update ourselves as a teacher by reexperiencing what it is to be a student.   Furthermore the sharing of our experience in anothers class via "the harvesting" is exceedingly useful as we can provide a feedback as one familiar in the role of teaching back to the one who is teaching.

One thing that stands out to me is that I am reminded to trust more in the autonomy of my students and to outsource some of the reponsibility I feel for them back to them.  Of course the exact balance is always something to  negotiate when teaching.

Although one can never experience ones own teaching from the inside perhaps by revisiting the student role in a regular manner our teaching may be enhanced and why Idocde and the TTT (teachers teaching teachers) initiatives are so useful by providing a convenient forum where this can occur.