Instruction is a Performance

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One of the biggest things that I miss about the in-person educational environment is the fact that I get to be in the same space with my students, standing up and bringing the concepts to life. Like language, instruction is performed. It contributes to the transmission of information and energy that is essential for learning to happen.

Ultimately, in person instruction brings with it all of our senses: those students who are kinesthetic or require seeing you act out an idea or concept to really “get it”, benefit from the in-person instruction. For the instructor, it allows you to monitor the energy in the room and literally conduct the flow of the conversations.

The social media discussions among academics in the K-16 can be summed up this way: we miss our students, we miss our classrooms, we miss our work. The transition to the online world has been difficult for a variety of reasons…and no, it is not solely because some of us do not like technology. Knowing and using the technology is not the issue; it’s that we miss the human connections with our students.

Some teachers have found creative ways to engage with their students. In talking with some of my colleagues, they told me that they have:

  • recreated their classroom in their garage,

  • used the shower walls as a dry erase boards,

  • done short presentations while driving by student’s homes,

  • taught from behind a glass patio door,

to name some creative examples that struck a chord with me. Ultimately, as teachers, we miss what we do and how we do it. I also miss how I like to teach, and I miss my students. During this COVID-19 quarantine, I considered what others were doing and I thought of some suggestions of how teachers and other academics can regain some of the magic of the in-class experience.

Here is what I recommend when you use video to teach:

Stay Present
When (or if) you get to return to the classroom, offer to teach your classes from there, even if the students will still be accessing the instruction remotely. You will have all the resources you need readily available and you. You also will reconnect to your professional identity as an instructor. For those of us who need to compartmentalize our work from our home life, this seems like a good solution.

Stand up
I know it feels weird to stand up during a video-conference lecture or discussion… but that is how most of us are comfortable doing our work. If you will be teaching from home, try and position the recording device at a height and distance to capture you from the hips to your head. Then tack up paper on the wall or stand in front of a dry erase board and do your thing!

You will be in your element and your lesson delivery will feel more genuine. Teaching is a performative art. We use our entire bodies to convey the ideas and meanings of the lessons. We walk the room to monitor engagement, answer questions, check for understanding, and listen in on small group discussions. We model confidence to our students on how to pivot and adjust to your audience.

These leadership and public speaking skills are what makes us effective at what we do. So, in this time of COVID-19, let us keep up with our professional practices and adjust to our new reality – stay present and stand up!