Let me draw, I do get you better, sir...

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         Traditionally, we teachers are allergic to the multitasking from the students' side. But at times we need to take a closer look into what they are really doing. It was my professor, Dr Janaky Sreedharan who ignited my curiosity about this classroom phenomenon in one of digressions that are more interesting than her lectures on literary theory and criticism. I remember her words that " some draw fairly good pictures as they try to listen to a talk or lecture" I often wondered, apparently , some may draw or scribble something while trying to focus but it would hardly turn out to be a fair one. Anyhow, I have never forgotten that piece of insight and kept observing my students ever since.
 
One of my students is listening with his pen as I was busy giving instruction on reading skill in an ESP classroom.
 
   Having taught around 4000 students  from India, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen for nine years...I realize it is a truly international classroom practice .Students from four nationalities I know share this tendency to draw as a means of focusing their attention to what they are listening. Initially, it used to drive me crazy and I was quick to discourage such students .Later on,I understood it is better to leave them as they are. They don't need to be reminded to pay attention to and obviously, they won’t disturb others who really listen.
 
       Interestingly, the spaces they get to draw in the class are books, instruments box, hand-rests, table, mouse, mouse pads, keyboards, monitor frame (in language labs) and even on a piece of cabin furniture.One has gone to the extend of coloring  on his water bottle label.

Comments

  1. ErichMarch 4, 2014 at 6:12 AM

    I probably wouldn't mind if my students doodled or drew pictures as long as they didn't draw a caricature of me ... But, quite frankly, many of our students in the English faculty don't even bring pens along to class so they would have nothing to draw WITH.

    ReplyDelete

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