tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911051468444235841.post75583564573488816..comments2023-08-19T05:17:02.915-04:00Comments on Candide's Garden: Lighten up already!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911051468444235841.post-77148109654452480052012-01-11T13:00:29.158-05:002012-01-11T13:00:29.158-05:00One thing that I've had professors do in the p...One thing that I've had professors do in the past, and something I used in my classes is picking fun at yourself. Tell students funny stories about mistakes you made when you were first learning. Make words up sometimes in class if you can't think of a more appropriate word, or intentionally make obvious mistakes for the students to catch and laugh about. These techniques won't undermine your authority on the subject, but it will make you more personable, inject extra humor into the lesson without taking time away from instruction, and, if used properly can actually help create connections between personal experiences and some of the more complex structures they will be introduced to. <br /><br />Having had you as a professor the only comment I can make is that yes, it is sometimes hard to work up the nerve to speak in class *knowing* that I don't know how to say exactly what I want to say and that you're going to correct me. <br /><br />You are very confident, clear with expectations, and always conduct yourself very proper. Giving your students glimpses of the more relaxed teacher I know you can be can go a long way in creating a more relaxed classroom environment without restructuring your management style and telling stories about how you struggled with learning the language will send a clear message to students that yes, you set your expectations high, but you know just how challenging this can be, it's ok for them to make mistakes, and that the language isn't just magically easier for some people than others.rlopezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02875622818259597934noreply@blogger.com