The Tone of Teaching

Available in: English (First Edition), English (Second Edition), Japanese

The Tone of Teaching

This popular book for parents and teachers is now republished in a second edition, revised and updated. The author defines sound pedagogy as the ability to distinguish effectively between what is appropriate, and what is less appropriate, in our communications and dealings with children and young people. He shows how tactful educators develop a caring attentiveness to the unique; to the uniqueness of children and to their uniqueness of individual lives. He describes how this “tone” of teaching can be sustained by the cultivation of a certain kind of seeing, listening, and responding to each child in each particular situation.

1 Pedagogical Thoughtfulness and Tact
11 Understanding the Child’s World of Possibility
15 The Child’s Experience of Curiosity and Wonder
23 Seeing Children Pedagogically
29 Every Child Needs to Be Seen
35 The Importance Of Recognition
41 The Pedagogical Dimension of Teaching
51 The Pedagogical Significance of Discipline
57 How Do Children Experience Our Presence?
67 The Power of Atmosphere
77 Children Teach Us Hope and Openness
87 Children are Natural Forgivers

A selection from the content:

The Importance Of Recognition

It is not surprising perhaps that many stories that students tell have to do with approval, being noticed, feeling special. Giving encouragement and positive feedback is one of the most common gestures expected from teachers in classrooms. It means that we prize, value, and esteem someone for something. Moreover, supportive commendation is supposed to build self-esteem in students. But obviously giving praise is not without danger.

It is important that teachers understand the positive as well as the possible negative consequences of praising students. A compliment should be meaningful and should not be granted indiscriminately because, if given too readily and too freely it may lose its significance. Yet, many students no doubt deserve commendation for a variety of reasons. And on occasion it is possible that only one student or only a few students stand out for their accomplishments. For this very reason compliments create dilemmas.

Teachers would like to recognize all students, especially if they make good efforts, but the practice of praising everyone equally in all instances is self-defeating. And sometimes teachers want to praise a single student, but they may not always realize that such acclaim may create difficult situations for the student. This is how a high school student describes such a situation:

Mr. Jackson made a big production of his disappointment. He went on and on exclaiming his amazement at the mistakes people had made on the science test. “My God, did I do such a poor job at explaining this stuff to you people? I know there is nothing wrong with your brains. And, you Wendy? Ken? What happened?” It was obvious that he did not really expect an answer. And nobody tried. The class was completely quiet. None dared to crack a joke. Most kids got a failing or near failing mark. Only two or three students barely made over 60 percent. Again Mr. Jackson blew his cool, uttering his disgust while he walked around the room, demonstratively placing each paper in front of its owner, as if he could not quite believe it, as if he wanted to verify each case. Most students sort of looked sheepishly. I feared my turn, feeling already ashamed. A sense of doom seemed to be hovering over the class. I tried to tell myself inwardly that this was not the end of the world. I would do better next time. When the teacher finally reached my desk, he stopped and suddenly changed his tone of voice. The shift was so dramatic that I am sure everyone in class startled. All eyes were on me. But the teacher’s face lit up and I heard him say, with an air of approval: “Oh, thank God, there is one amongst you who has caught on. It goes to show that there is still hope” He waved my test paper above his head, like a silly flag, before he placed it solemnly in my hand. “Good for you, Sarah, not a single mistake. A perfect mark!” I scarcely could maintain my composure. I had expected the worst and was awarded the best. I did not need a mirror to know that my face was blushing red. The class was still strangely silent. No one uttered a word while the teacher walked back to the front of the room. I kept my face turned down, staring at my test paper. I could not completely suppress a faint smile. Was it relief? Vanity? Embarrassment? I dared not look at my friends. I did not trust my eyes. Why did I feel so stupid when I was supposed to feel smart?

This looks like a story of humiliation (of the whole class) and praise (of a single student). The teacher singles out a student for recognition, but the student feels confused. What seems a positive gesture on the part of the teacher (to compliment a student on good work) has potentially ambivalent significance. The pedagogical question is, did the teacher act appropriately? What is the experience of recognition?

The Tone of Teaching