~ There is no Autopilot ~

Which is more of a distraction: the preemptive strike or the patient pause and listen?

Situation: Math time. Multiplying by powers of ten. Kids are getting it and we're almost ready for independent work time. I see C out of the corner of my right eye reach towards a still-wrapped sucker on his desk, hear the crinkle as he lovingly caresses said sucker. "Mrs. N--" he starts. "No," I say, "C, the answer is no."

"But you didn't even hear the question," he says while the class chuckles at his crestfallen look.

"No sucker right now," I say, clarifying.

"But how did you know that?"

"I'm magic," I say as the class laughs.

Two minutes later, the buzz of talking has subsided and we're finally back on track, and I'm left wondering. Was my preemptive strike all that effective? Should I have been patient, listened to the question, and then answered? I know there isn't really a correct answer, but I still need to ask the question.

During my first few years of teaching, I used to long to be a more seasoned teacher, to have all the answers down. But that's no longer the kind of teacher I want to be. The wisdom I've gained is that there isn't an autopilot response for every situation, there isn't one right way to teach content. Constant evaluation and appropriate changes keep this job fresh and interesting.

Maybe I'll try the "patient pause and listen" next week....