Tips for Teachers

This year, I taught a class of 26 student teachers. Early in the term I found that it was often difficult to connect with my students in a large classroom, late in the day when so many of them were tired and seemingly bored with the traditional lecture environment. I decided to look for new strategies to awaken a spark in these beginning educators. Surprisingly, I found the key to reaching them right in front of me, in my morning newspaper!

By luck, I found a cartoon that focused on the trials of school days. I cut it out of my newspaper, brought it into class that day, passed it around, and was amazed at the discussions it opened up. After I saw how keen the students were to discuss the cartoon, I decided to make it a weekly activity. My husband and I made a game of trying to find the best cartoons, both in newspapers and on the Internet. I also encouraged the students to bring in their own favourites, focusing on students, teachers and education.

Each week, the students would look forward to reading the cartoons, saying, “Where are the cartoons today?” before I even had a chance to put my papers down. The strategy developed as I asked them to draw their own cartoons on such topics as “How I See Myself as a Teacher” and “Behaviour Management.” Some of the results were hilarious, so I compiled them into a book for all of the student teachers to access. Students who did not normally speak to each other opened up dialogues, and that was wonderful to see.

I knew that this activity was a keeper when some of my student teachers told me that they were going to try the same thing during their practicum placements. So, I would encourage teachers who are struggling to get to know their students to try this out. It is amazing that a little piece of artwork can lead to a lot of enlightening discussion.

Submitted by Mary Shaughnessy, B.A., M.S.Ed.

Mary teaches Professional Theory and Practice to B.Ed students at Queens University and supervises student teachers’ practicums