Christina, the Entertainer

Ever feel like you're in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, standing in front of a dead classroom? Your voice echoes, "Anyone? Anyone?" as students roll their eyes or text message. It's a lonely existence, made worse by twenty pairs of eyes staring back at you. The fishbowl effect, as I've heard it called, is created when those twenty pairs of unblinking eyes realize you've just asked a question and wait patiently for an answer, like fish waiting to be fed.

My professor in my teaching theory class says that I should just be patient. "Wait them out. They'll say something. Count to thirty." Let me just say that yes, it does work, but the time spent counting with a lame grin on my face was uncomfortable (to say the least). I will persevere in this line of question-asking, and try to give them room to think and realize that participating is possible and rewarding, allowing them to voice their opinions and to disagree. Still, I wondered, isn't there something else I can do to increase participation?

Being a mentor concurrently with teaching my first class, I had a brainstorm about my mentees and why they are so willing to participate. I had been required to meet with each of them individually and, though we talked about writing, we mostly talked about life and relationships. When the instructor asks a question, they look at me and I smile a little smile at them and (I assume) they feel like someone has acknowledged their existence and they speak out.

I'm not sure how this is going to play out, but I have asked all of my own students in the class I'm teaching to meet with me in the next week or two. I even sent out a virtual sign up sheet for tomorrow before class, and I'll send out a paper sign up on Thursday. Having just completed twenty-four intake interviews as a mentor, I know that they are draining, so I'm steeling myself against fatigue. Still, I hope the benefits will reap more class participation and a greater ease in my presence. I hope they take charge of their time, ask questions, contribute their thoughts, and get excited about owning their education.

I have considered, of course, that being a mentor and being a teacher are completely different roles--whereas one is a liason between teacher and student, ultimately earning the title "student advocate," the other is very obviously controlling the destiny (in terms of a grade) of the student, which can really seem overwhelming...or, am I just projecting how I felt about my teachers when I was an undergrad? How do I create rapport without stepping over the line?

I will shake my magic eight ball and find the answer..."better not to tell you now," it says.