Better Supervision better Teaching: A Handbook for Teaching Practice Supervisors

12. Discussing a Lack of Presence in the Classroom

CHAPTER฀12฀|฀ Discussing฀a฀Lack฀of฀Presence฀in฀ the฀Classroo m฀ ISSUE฀ A supervisor feels that a student teacher is having problems in establishing a presence in the classroom. How can the matter be tackled? THE฀PROBLEM฀ In many ways, talking about whether or not one has the ability to establish a presence in the classroom is like the issue of dress. As with dress , presenc e i s a highly persona l issu e an d indee d i s strongly linked to personality itself. Can a supervisor change how a student teacher presents himself o r herself t o a class? Should a supervisor even try? Has the supervisor the right? Part o f th e proble m i n addressing thes e questions , as wit h the problem of enthusiasm and commitment, is one of definition . What precisely do we mean by a Tack of presence' or 'establishing 158฀Bette r฀Supervision,฀Better฀Teaching:฀A฀Handbook฀for฀Teaching฀Practice฀Supervisors฀ a presenc e ? Although w e may recogniz e it when w e see it (o r [~ T . ~ ,. . , , v ., . , i i . , . , , , . T Ca n you recognize it when notice its absence), it is nevertheless a very intangible quality that y 0U s ee jt ? jry to describe surely defies an y simple checklist. We may describe some areas now that ar e associate d wit h it : for example , th e abilit y t o be take n seriously by pupils, winning respect from pupils, inspiring pupils, the general outward impression that a student teacher brings into the classroom, etc. However, to define the elements of 'presence' that resul t i n thes e effect s i s a muc h mor e difficult , i f no t impossible, task. Also, although presence is clearly linked to personality, there is a great danger in associating it with any particular personality. For example, there may be a tendency to associate it with being dynamic and extrovert, but this is surely inappropriate. To use a theatrical analogy, there are actors whose stage presence is largely due to a very exciting, physical, dynamic quality, but equally there are others for whom presence is defined i n terms of more subtle qualities, such as intensity, stillness, effective pauses , etc. In the same way, with teaching, we know that in practice, teachers with many different types of personality succeed in the classroom. This highlights a danger that we, as supervisors, need to be aware of , that ther e is no particular 'teachin g personality' tha t shoul d b e aspired t o o r tha t studen t teacher s shoul d b e encourage d t o emulate. Thus, althoug h presenc e ma y indee d b e linke d wit h personality, the two are not synonymous. Perhaps the connection that needs to be made is the idea of one's personality being used to establish one's presence in the classroom in the most effectiv e way. It is this connection that the supervisor should be clear about if he o r sh e is identifying a lack o f presenc e a s a problem tha t requires discussing. It should be considered a problem only if its effect is detrimental to the learning of the pupils. Key point: • Befor e any discussion, identify clearly in your own mind why 'presence' is a problem for the student teacher and the class. Discussing฀a฀Lack฀of฀Presence฀in฀the฀Classroom฀15 9฀ VIEWPOINTS฀AND฀ANALYSIS฀ Image฀ Many o f th e studen t teacher s an d supervisor s sa w thi s issu e i n terms o f image , i n it s broadest sense . Tha t is , with respec t t o a broad range of parameters including physical appearance, use of spoken language , us e o f bod y language , professiona l conduct , discipline, and relationship s with pupils, etc. The selectio n o f comment s belo w illustrate s thi s range . It i s interesting t o note tha t som e o f th e studen t teacher s sa w par t o f the proble m i n discussin g thi s issu e a s a matte r o f th e differen t perspectives (o r perceptions ) tha t supervisors , studen t teacher s and pupil s may have . Many studen t teacher...