Confronting Fear (30 Day Blogging Challenge: Day 30)

What would you do (as an educator) if you weren't afraid?

   by  venspired 

In an earlier post, I mentioned that while I am an energetic and confident presenter when I'm teaching my own students, I often suffer from stage fright whenever I am being evaluated.  Giving interviews, or teaching "sample lessons" as part of an interview process, also fills me with anxiety.  Susan Cain, the author of Quiet, does a fantastic job explaining that while introverts like me may not immediately inspire confidence in others in these types of high-pressure situations, our aversion to public performances is not a fair indicator of the skills and talents that we have to offer. While I wish more interview committees were aware of this reality, I know that I need to continue to work on overcoming this fear.

Having said that, there are a couple of things that I would do as an educator if I weren't afraid.

1.  Stand up to share a Google tip during a demo-slam at VT Fest 2014.

2.  Submit a plan for, and then teach, a workshop on copyright/ Creative Commons through CVEDCVT.

It may not happen over night, but I am confident that I can overcome this.  

Focus for Future Observations (30 Day Blogging Challenge: Day 3)

   by  Fred Seibert 

The third prompt asked me to reflect upon an area where I would like to improve upon in future teacher observations.  While I am consciously aware of the fact that there are always areas for improvement in my teaching, I believe that the area that I'd most like to focus upon is feeling more comfortable while having formal observations done. Although most people would characterize me as an energetic speaker, I sometimes suffer from stage fright.

I routinely create engaging lessons for students, and I expend a great deal of effort building relationships with students.  Nonetheless, I still feel intensely nervous during observations and interviews.  I wish that I could switch off the part of my brain that sends the fight or flight message that high-stakes situations signal for me. It's not that I don't value constructive criticism, because I have learned a great deal from the open and honest feedback that I've received from mentors seeking to help me improve my practice.  I just feel more aware of my shortcomings whenever I'm trying my best to perform for a live audience that is different from the one that I might normally perform for.  This RSA short on the "Power of Introverts" speaks to the issue I've addressed.

I'm not exactly sure how to go about making the mental shift, though.   Also, I wonder whether other teachers feel the same way I do, or if I am truly in the minority.

Update:  Susan Cain, the author of Quiet, shared this link on FaceBook.  It seems to offer some good advice for people like me.