Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/when-we-really-see-the-child/5009905/
When we really see the child, our teaching improves. Child response improves as well, for when a teacher keenly watches young children with a mix of gentle caring and professional objectivity, when, in fact, she truly learns from the children, they sense her marked regard and feel good about themselves. As their self-esteem rises, they turn to their work with greater involvement and deeper reward.Really seeing means sensitive observation, keen listening, and simultaneous note-taking. It's not easy to master and it takes much practice, but the results are remarkable. The very process of learning skilled observation keeps teacher concern primarily with the children (where it should be!).
When I taught a University of Maine evening class to teachers on creativity in the classroom, they at first looked not so much to the child as to their own creative approach to teaching. In essence, they were not really seeing the children. We then made a rule: no one could attend our weekly seminar without bringing anecdotal notes on 3 x 5 cards from their own recent classroom observations. For my part as instructor, I promptly read and returned the cards with written comments. ...