EXCEL Corner by
Aleta Loftis
Do We Really
Use What We Know?
Some
things have been on my "EXCEL
Program heart" lately. Do we
just know a lot of information about
the communicative method or do we really use it on a daily
basis in our classrooms? Do we think ourselves successful English
teachers just because we can quote all the communicative data—all the
three-stage lesson lingo? Are we
producing wonderful activity ideas for the "Classroom Application"
portion of our EXCEL homework yet seldom utilizing such with our Ss? When our EXCEL supervisor comes for his
observation do we have the best class in our "personal teaching
history" but then just do whatever
the rest of the school year? Is our
teaching from our hearts or just a front to give a good impression to our EXCEL
supervisor?
At my old job in the States, the
first few times my principal came for his yearly observation of my English
class, I really had a super lesson. I mean I planned to excess, created
stimulating activities, prepared oodles of cutouts and manipulatives, and even
color-coded the sections, so my Ss could understand the directions well. Everything was perfectly amazing! I still taught what I needed to teach for
that particular day, but I jazzed it up—A
LOT! I wanted my principal to see
for himself what a great teacher I was.
I wonder what my students thought,
though? Were they just happy to have
such a fun lesson, or did they notice that my effort was unexpectedly
heightened at the appearance of the school principal? Hmmm…..
When I used to travel out to observe
EXCEL students' classes, I really enjoyed watching the effective, creative, and
lively presentation and practice stages of their lessons! However, I would often feel let down because
they rarely got to the communicative stage.
What had happened? In our
seminars and homework assignments, we had studied so much about teaching
communicatively. I thought they had
understood. Surely they could at least execute the communicative stage
when I came all that way to observe.
I honestly don’t think they were
being lazy. I really believe they wanted to teach well for me, but I
wonder if they just had head knowledge.
Maybe they couldn't quite figure out how to put their Methodology Reader article information
into practical classroom use? Was it
that they were so accustomed to their old way of teaching that they couldn't
get out of the rut? I don't know for
sure. However, I do know that I always wanted something deeper for secondary school
English teachers when they came up short in this matter. It just takes much effort and maybe much
trial and error, to get this communicative teaching thing right. Even if we still don't have it down yet, this
is certainly not the time to give in to hopelessness. Rather it is time to take a candid look at
ourselves and then go ahead with expectation.
You know what they say, "Practice makes perfect."
Have you heard about the guy who
looked into the mirror before leaving for work but didn’t notice that he had
some mustard on his face? He went the
whole day like that, but no one told him about the mustard. How embarrassing! None of us wants to experience something like
that. However, I think we sometimes look
into the "communicative teaching
mirror" and neglect what is right there in front of us. How wonderful it would be this year if all
EXCEL students—in fact, all English teachers—would truly look into that mirror,
see what kind of teachers we are (even when no one is watching), and then wipe
that "mustard" off our faces.
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Yes, I think you do. Thank you
for listening, taking heed, and teaching from your heart from now on!
A
fitting proverb says: “Every prudent man
acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly.”