In the Eye

When I was in college, I took a conducting class where my classmates and I took turns teaching and conducting.  My most vivid memory of this class was the discussion following one of my teaching segments.  The lesson had gone well, and my teacher joined me at the front of the room.  He looked intensely and powerfully into my eyes, and said"Nicole*, your power is right here," as he put his finger firmly against my temple, pointing at my eyes.  My expression didn't change, but all I could think at that moment was,

'My teacher is touching my face.'

My classmates started to giggle as my teacher removed the illustrative finger and explained.  "Your power is right there, in your eyes.  This is your best classroom management tool.  I'd be really afraid to cross those eyes."  Some of my classmates were still giggling, so I immediately shot them a really intense teacher-look (which is sisters with "the mom-look") and burst out laughing when they immediately jumped back and stopped laughing.

I keep this little insight in the back of my mind as I experiment with different classroom management techniques.  He was absolutely right; 90% of the time I manage my class solely with my eyeballs.  It's especially true in China, where my eyes are 21/2 times larger than everyone else's and a strikingly different color.  Sometimes I shoot a look at my class and they gasp out loud, or switch from distracted talking to pin-drop silence in seconds, and all I want to do is laugh and yell "RAWR!!"

And sometimes I do.  My students laugh with me, but they're still just a liiiiiittle bit afraid.  Just enough for the LOOK to be effective.  I guess it just proves that 'the power is in the eye of the teacher.'




*At the time, we had an indecent number of girls named Emily in the music department, so I went by my middle name, Nicole.