Johnhwilburn.com

Last month I began going through some reading help sessions with a girl in the third grade. Her father actually approached me, and asked if I’d be willing to help her. Our first sessions were good, but it was obvious that the girl was quite shy. This is understandable since she didn’t know me very well, and reading was something she wasn’t very good at.

I knew to help her overcome that shyness I couldn’t just teach the information…

I had to build her confidence.

A few weeks ago, we played a basic game that involved fishing for words. Each word has a small metal piece, and the fishing pole has a strong magnet. So, you chose a fish with a word you knew and said the word.

As we played the game, she started becoming more and more confident. Then I began allowing her to “steal my words” and basically let her win. I’m pretty sure she knew I was letting her win, but being able to beat me at the game still excited her.

Actually, she didn’t just beat me.

she CRUSHED ME!

When we were done, I asked if she wanted to let her father see how badly she had beaten me. She excitedly ran downstairs (we have sessions at a community center where her father works) and a few minutes later proudly showed him the massive amount of word fish she had caught.

With a huge smile he gave her a fist bump.

Then looked at me and whispered “thank you”

This week she was late (which was unusual) but arrived about ten minutes after her usual time bringing her best friend. Together we practiced words, played learning games on a tablet, and read books. We also talked….a lot!

The truth is we spent a bit more time talking than covering reading material.

but that’s okay

because she was gaining confidence.

An excellent book on teaching encourages teachers to see their goal as “flourishing a student.” In other words, they want the student to gain confidence, and become stronger as a result of the classes. This is very different from the goal of some teachers which is simply to transfer information.

There is nothing wrong with covering material

but building confidence in students is more important

I used to have a Sunday School teacher who every week would start class by asking how our week went. We would often spend almost the entire class time talking about our experiences, then he’d teach the lesson in about ten minutes.

He didn’t do this because the lesson wasn’t important..

but because a heart that flourishes is more important than a head full of knowledge.