S. Indira Narayan
S. Indira Narayan is an educationist with more than 35 years of rich experience in the teaching field. She has held multiple portfolios. She has been associated with St. Ann’s High School, ICSE, ISC, Secunderabad, for over three decades, teaching English language and English literature for classes 10, 11 and 12. The last portfolio she held was as Academic Coordinator, St. Ann's High School, at Kompally Hyderabad, under the same management.
Indira Narayan has conducted numerous workshops for school teachers and continues to do so. She is also interested in writing and blogs regularly on http://vinplaksha.wordpress.com/
A few days ago, while browsing through a book of poems, I came across the poem by Robert Frost, ‘Stopping by the Woods On a Snowy Evening’. It got me thinking. I had this poem at my Post Graduate level; I taught it as a teacher to students of class 10 and also class 12 of the ICSE and ISC Board respectively. At one reading, the poem appears simple (signature style of Frost) that a teacher or a student will feel it can be taught and learnt without effort. It is true to an extent. But, to the eye and the mind that discerns, there is a lot to interpret and explain. That is the beauty and the uniqueness of literature and art. It does not give clear cut explanations, but makes us think, makes us reflect, and definitely allows free exploration of the depth of meaning. To put it briefly, literature, prose or poetry, is open to interpretation of each individual; with, maybe, an underlying condition that it should not go wide angle from what the author or poet intended when they wrote it.
To go back to my note at the beginning of this article, at the post graduate level, I remember that our professor took close to a week to complete teaching the poem. Each line of the poem was dealt with in such detail and varied analysis that some of them took an entire class of an hour. This is the beauty of literature, especially poetry, that it affords a vast canvas for interpretation and analysis.
To teach this poem at class ten and twelve of the ICSE & ISC board, a teacher needs to assess how much in-depth explanation is required. And this will definitely differ for the two levels mentioned above. Going through the scope of the syllabus, which every examination board has, will help teachers plan their lessons accordingly. I believe that the explanation that the teacher gives must be a little more than is required. This additional analysis may enhance appreciation of the poem in the student, enthuse his/her mind and help express himself/ herself better. As an examiner, I will be prompted to add that extra mark for a student who has gone that extra step in explanation.
Here are some guidelines for effective teaching:
Going through the list of books and the syllabus, especially if there is a change. I would make it a point to go through it and get an idea of the lessons; be it prose or poetry.
A run through the list and make a tentative list in the order of how manageable or how difficult it may be to teach.
Avoid teaching all ‘easy’ lessons/poems one after the other. Do not take up one difficult one after the other. Maintaining a balance is important in the interest of the students who cannot assimilate the fineness of interpretation.
Literature cannot be taught off the cuff. Reference work is a helpful aid in teaching. A teacher must be well prepared with her lessons before entering the class. A thorough reading, understanding, analysing is a must, with all the foot notes handy; not to forget a quick revision before going to teach.
To be equipped with more than the required analysis is a great advantage for a teacher and I believe it is expected too. Such research or reference will stand by the teacher when a student asks a pertinent question or has a doubt.
In the case of a poem or a short story, one slow reading, with the right intonations, pauses etc., to be read aloud in the class.
Ask students to speak of what the lesson/poem is about. A few minutes devoted here will have the class more attentive. At a glance, accept their explanation. If it does not flow with the general analysis, make it a point to let them know why. Do not brush it aside; the student may not be responsive in future classes.
The depth or detail of the analysis depends on the class being taught. Adopt a three-tier method while teaching i.e. explanation for the class in general; going to the next level of interpretation for the intelligent students (preferably using a vocabulary of a higher degree); explain in simple prose easily understood by all, but specifically for the slow learners. Believe me, a proper planning and preparation by the teacher, will not eat into the class time!
Ask and allow students to give their interpretations or analysis of the lesson. Some of them will surprise the teacher by their analysis, which may be absolutely acceptable and correct - some point which possibly slipped the teacher’s mind.
Dear teacher, please ascertain that all students have understood the lesson by pausing to ask questions on the portion just taught. In a bid to complete the lesson, prose or poetry, please do not hasten the teaching to satisfy yourself that one lesson is taught, one down in the list of the syllabus. The slow learners will not thank you for this!
They, as you are aware, are the teacher’s challenges!!