Body Talk

Author:
Sue Cowley
Main Subject:
CPD
Subject:
Training
Date Posted:
03 April 2015

Feeling exhausted at the end of term? Good. Teaching is a physical profession and if your face, hands and even thumbs aren’t working overtime, something’s not right, says Sue Cowley...

The curtains open, the lights come up, and the actor steps onto the stage. The audience wait with baited breath to see what the performance will bring. This is not just about listening to the script – they could read that in a book. This is live performance art. It is about actors bringing a story to life, through the way in which they use their bodies and their voices. This is how it works in the theatre. And this is also how it works in the classroom (although with an awful lot more audience participation).

Teaching is an intellectual profession: we need knowledge of the subjects in order to teach them; we frequently talk about the ‘best methods’ to use. Teaching is a psychological profession: we must understand how to interact well with people; we need to build effective relationships with our children. But teaching is also a physical profession – a live performance, if you like. It is you, in a room, with some kids. And the way that you use your face, hold your body, gesture with your hands, move around the space, will all have an impact on how well your children learn, focus and behave.

From the moment that you first meet your class, your children are making subconscious decisions about what kind of teacher you will be. In part this is to do with what you say to them and the way that you say it. In part this is to do with the way that you structure the learning. But it also has a great deal to do with your physicality – with the movements, and gestures, and facial expressions that you bring with you into the room. This is why teachers get exhausted towards the end of term: they do the equivalent of a five-hour live performance, each and every day.

Over the years I have learned a great deal about how to use my body to draw in my students and to help them to learn. Your physicality comes out of your personality – that is your starting point. But it is also about having confidence and experience with the ‘script’ you are using, so that you can be aware of your physicality at the same time. As you gain in experience, you get better at remembering what you need to say and do, and you can focus more on considering how you say and do it.

So what have I learned? Firstly, that the way in which I use my face is crucial. When I ask a question, I should look like I am puzzled, and curious, and interested in finding out the answer. This draws the children in and shows that that we are all learning together. Next, I must remember that my posture ‘says’ a great deal to my class. I want to project confidence, and to give the children that vital feeling of security. So I need to stand upright, but with a relaxed and open body stance. (As a helpful added extra, this also allows me to use my voice properly.)

I have also learned how useful my hands can be when I am explaining something to a class. Indeed, it sometimes feels as though my hands have a life of their own. I can use my hands to stop misbehaviour, to encourage a child to elaborate an idea, to show how pleased I am. (Thumbs up and a smile works a treat.) And I have learned that both stillness and movement are incredibly useful. I can stand still and pause – frozen like a statue – to indicate that I am waiting. (The ‘Pinter Pause’ if you like.) And I can move around the space to own it, heading towards a child who has her hand up, to show that I am interested in her answer.

The physical presence that you bring to your classroom does not need to be forceful or pushy – presence can be about having a quiet, internal confidence as well. Even though it makes for an exhausting profession, using your physicality is one of the most creative aspects of being a teacher. Just like an actor, you should protect your voice, and ensure you take proper breaks whenever you get the chance. That way, when the curtains open, you will be ready to step onto the classroom stage and give your very best performance.