Published: September 11, 2007

Teaching Secrets: Ask the Kids!

It was the middle of my second year of teaching in a high-needs New York City public school. I was finally planning successful lessons, and my class of 8th grade transitional English-language learners had become enthusiastic readers of whole novels in English.

So it took me by surprise when, around February, I noticed these same students yawning, poking one another, throwing paper balls, and complaining during class. I bristled at their displays of frustration and heard myself snapping back at them. I was becoming that cranky teacher I vowed never to be.

After weeks of such behavior, I began to get nervous every time this class would enter my room. I tried to make the work more exciting, but nothing seemed to change. Finally, one afternoon, I couldn’t take it any longer. My students entered my room and sat down as usual in the U-shaped configuration of benches called the meeting area. Our agenda was on the board, and I was about to run through it. I had gotten in the habit of doing this as quickly as possible, in my most energetic tone, while I still had the illusion...