Is THAT what it’s like in my classroom? If it is, God bless the poor souls who have been in my keeping. My readings in this book have already begun to close the gap on my initial concept of dialogue and how it should be applied in the classroom. I’ll start with words; we’ll touch on technique and planning later. Here we go. | |
“Learning to Listen” brought home the fact that listening is broader in scope than superficial consideration might indicate. So, yes, I misinterpreted the title, and therefore missed a point before I ever opened the book. Active listening involves more than hearing and understanding words. Without context, without incorporating the culture of the speaker, misunderstandings can occur. Socially, this is a faux pas. In a learning environment, however, it can dicate bad planning, less than effective dialogue, and reduced learning transfer.
As educators, we must begin to listen before we ever talk to the first learner. As stated by Vella, "Modeling a true attitude of inquiry and learning is perhaps the most useful thing a teacher of adults can do" (P. 67). This hit a nerve.
I used to tell my fellow underwriters that they have to be nosey to be effective. The snobs among us would label that as intellectual curiosity, but I digress. Anyway, the same is true for teachers. Don't you want to know what makes people tick? Do you see how their disparate cultures and work histories will impact their classroom experiences, and therefore the experiences of the rest of the learners? It isn't necessary to dive into fashion and food preferences, but do you know where they're coming from? If not, how do you know what they need? How will you create a meaningful point of reference? How will you know your learners feel safe?
What kind of preparations are you making in advance of that first eye contact? That first introduction? Those first words out of your mouth? Are you listening?