A glimpse inside Hillsdale College's network of classical schools across the country.
Watching a video of yourself teaching is simultaneously painful and illuminating. While you continually cringe at your every movement and the sound of your own voice, you are also given the opportunity to honestly and objectively observe your practice. Having gone through this many times in my teaching career, I can say with confidence that the pain is worth it. Every time I watch myself teach, I learn about a way that I can improve my practice. …
My third year teaching, I had a sophomore in my fifth period class who I’ll call Andrew. Andrew was one of those students who literally could not sit still. At his desk, his heels would rapidly tap the floor, causing his legs to frenetically bounce up and down. Simultaneously, his fingers, or the writing utensil they held, would be drumming on the top of his desk, his shoulders often bumping up and down to the rhythm.…