ONE YEAR WITH AN ENGLISH TEACHER

Day 50, Thursday, November 15

I continue to be pleased with the work of the “assistant teachers”. Today Bobby took complete control of the discussion on Great Expectations, conducting the conversation like a seasoned literature instructor. He was well prepared with notes, which was surely at least a partial cause for his look of utter self-assurance. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing and where he was going. I stood on the periphery, taking notes and liking what I was seeing. In the 8^th grade, Celine was an especially impressive assistant teacher. She, too, seemed quite dignified as she stood before the class. I had spoken to her before the class about standing up straight and speaking with a sense of confidence and authority, and she did just that. She led the discussion with grace and poise. As I watched the conversation proceed in a surprisingly refined way, I realized that, in a certain sense, it was a better discussion than the ones I lead. The kids seemed more involved, more willing to speak, more able to go beyond their comfort level and take some risks. With the teacher in the background, these students were actually being better students. Can someone explain that to me??