Comments on: An “old dog” and “special tricks” (by David Deubelbeiss)

By: ddeubel

ddeubel — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:50:13 +0000

Eric,

Good points also. It is true, like the taoist philosophy – sometimes less is more. I’ve seen it so many times, how older teachers, seasoned professionals are very slow and deliberate in the classroom – giving students time to process things and follow along….

David

By: Eric Kane

Eric Kane — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:23:10 +0000

Very good points. I can especially relate to slowing down in the classroom. Silence and pause create anticipation in learners. The become more focussed and, especially when teaching younger learners, better behaved. Thank you!

By: Guest Posts…. | EFL Classroom 2.0 - Teacher Talk

Guest Posts…. | EFL Classroom 2.0 - Teacher Talk — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:37:44 +0000

[...] old dog and new tricks: Part 1 – about the need to develop professionally. Part 2 on the use of repetition in lesson [...]

By: “Special” tricks Part 2 — repetition (by David Deubelbeiss) – Teaching Village

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:26:09 +0000

[...] If you missed the first part of this article, start here [...]

By: David

David — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 05:08:53 +0000

Go for it Marisa!

That is one of the “rich” things about teaching quite a few years. The fruit you are on the vine is much more sweeter!

I’ve always been so skeptical about the adage that older teachers don’t innovate. I find that as you “age”, you are much more settled about so much else in your teaching toolkit that you are apt to risk, try new things, innovate. It takes confidence, quiet confidence to innovate and I think experienced teachers have that in spades in many cases.

My rule though for innovation is to always experiment with your “good” classes! That’s an important rule of thumb.

Barb: the second half is a lot “meatier” and I’ve probably left out a lot. But well have time to “repeat” it and get it right.

By: Marisa Pavan

Marisa Pavan — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:47:43 +0000

Great post, David! I’ve felt identified with you in my growth as a teacher. I’ve slowed down my teaching pace and I’ve become aware of the fact that no all the students learn in the same way. As to risks, I’ve introduced technology in the classroom and I use blogs and wikis to upload material for my students. It must be a natural consequence of gaining experience, which makes teaching much more enjoyable. Now I’m even considering teaching online!
Regards,
Marisa

By: Tweets that mention An “old dog” and “special tricks” (by David Deubelbeis) – Teaching Village -- Topsy.com

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:55:23 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Shelly S Terrell and Barbara Sakamoto. Barbara Sakamoto said: An "old dog" and "special tricks" guest post by @ddeubel (Stuff All EFL Teachers Should Know) http://bit.ly/cpZOfF #efl #esl #edchat [...]

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:29:44 +0000

Thanks, David. I think that many of us “old dogs” will see ourselves in your own journey. I also notice that I have fewer “rules” about teaching than I used to.

Thanks for introducing me to Dinklage, Ganschow, and Sparks. I’m definitely going to add them to my reading list.

And, I’m looking forward to the second half of this–repetition is one of my favorite topics