“Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e‘e
On prospects drear!
An’ forward tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!”
-Robert Burns, from “To a Mouse”
Teaching is about being there, being physically right there in the same space with someone else. Sure, we could teach remotely, from a video, a podcast, a conference call, or some other distant way.
True teaching is about presence – standing physically side-by-side with someone and helping show them the way in a manner that is specific to the person, time, and space you share.
But being present is more than just physically in the same space. It’s also about being mentally and emotionally available for one another as well. When we are with someone else with our whole selves, we are truly present with and for that person.
It is essential that we as teachers fully show up for our students each present moment.
Presence Makes an Impact
Have you ever been talking to someone and get the feeling they are “not all there”? Casual glances at the clock, dead stares, or generic nods giveaway the fact they are not thinking about you. Their mind is elsewhere.
How does that make you feel about your interactions with them?
At other times we initiate interacting with someone only to find their eyes glued to their phone or laptop. Do we really feel like that person is there with us?
In school we will physically be with our students, but to what extent do we truly make ourselves present – in mind and body – for them? This is an important question to ask because the power of our presence directly corresponds to the power of our impact on students.
When our bond and presence with students goes beyond just being there with them to making a true relational connection, we open up the opportunity for students to do the same with us. Suddenly we are occupying not just the same room, but the same moment. We have the chance to not just teach, but to connect. Our interactions grow more meaningful, our feedback more targeted, our insight more perceptive, our questions more thoughtful, our care more evident.
While we could just teach by going through the motions and assuming students will follow along, we could go further and make a commitment to truly bringing to students our full selves and full impact to our short time together.
Barriers to Presence
Our minds wander. We’re only human. Here are some of the common things that keep us from centering our minds in the present moment:
Stress: Teaching can be stressful. Life can be stressful. When we feel stress, our minds are more likely to replay moments from the past and imagine moments in the future. It is difficult to control a mind that is emotionally fixated on a stressor.
Devices: Our phones, tablets, and laptops are fantastic tools for our professional and personal needs. They are also, however, extremely addictive. The allure of the glowing screen pulls our eyes and attention away from the world around us. Our habits of checking our email, texts, and social media cause us to hit the pause button on reality when it’s really not necessary to do so.
Multitasking: While we might say we’re listening, it’s difficult to do so when we’re also typing, writing, organizing, or doing anything that leads to divided attention. We often say we can do both at once, or “don’t worry I’m listening…” but the reality is that our attempts to do multiple things at once means we’re just doing each poorly.
Good intentions / Necessary work: How often are you doing an appropriate, word-related task around your students? For example, I often used to be setting up my lesson materials (like turning on the projector or taking out papers) as students were walking into the classroom. The work I’m doing is not a bad thing, but my attention is on the materials, not on the students themselves.
The Unexpected: As teachers we thrive on things “going according to plan.” When they don’t, our mind races to fix the situation, find the solution, or figure out what’s going on.
Planning: When things are good in the present, we naturally begin thinking about what’s next. “What should students do when they’re done reading?” “Should this be included on the next assessment?” “What am I going to eat for lunch today?” These thoughts aren’t bad to have, but they take us out of the present and into the future.
I wouldn’t even say that any of these are inherently bad or should be avoided entirely. Practicing presence means that we increase our awareness of the situations and habits that distract us from he current moment. When we enhance our awareness, we enhance our power to take control.
Practices for Maximizing the Present
Presence with our students means we are making sure we’re fully “there” with them. Above I listed common reasons our mind and emotions can be taken somewhere else. Here are a few ideas on how to more naturally practice presence when we are with our students.
Have everything ready to go. As best as possible, make sure any prep tasks or loose ends are completed prior to class. The less you have on your to-do list means the less you’ll be thinking about everything you need to accomplish.
Greet students personally, by name, when they come in. Presence begins with a greeting. Using their name tells them “I see you.” Genuinely smile and make eye contact, telling students with your body language that they are seen and welcomed.
Listen to them. I mean really listen. Whether enjoying casual conversation or academic discussion, show students you are listening with your full self. Eye contact, no distractions, follow up questions, a smile. Undivided attention. Do not worry about what you’re going to say next.
Keep devices aside. There are plenty of reasons to access our electronics for appropriate classroom activities. But electronics often draw our attention toward themselves and away from one another. Whenever possible, keep these away and we will more easily sustain attention towards our students.
Watch their cues. We can “listen with our eyes” to students, too, when we are paying attention to the non-verbal cues they are giving us throughout the lesson. When we are fully present, we are that much more attuned to the experience they are having, and we can better decipher their comprehension, needs, and status.
Feel content in what you’ve accomplished. We are naturally driven to excel and achieve, offering more, more, more for our students. It is not inappropriate to have this drive, but when we are present with our students it is important to give ourselves permission to know that what we are currently doing is “enough.” Have confidence in yourself and in the power of the moment. Use the moment to make an impact on your students rather than regretting what isn’t done or planning for what to do.
Enjoy students for who they are. There is a natural charm and connection is just accepting people for who they are, and not wishing they were someone else. When we operate from the perspective of “I appreciate you” and “I am enjoying this moment with you,” we are withholding judgment and resisting the urge to fix. Being present in the moment means we are accepting of the circumstances of that moment, including who our students are.
Avoid multi-tasking. When interacting with students, let that be all of what you do. It may be tempting to knock out a quick task, organize some of our materials, or think about that next meeting or lesson coming up. But keep your mind and your hands centered on what’s going on around you now in the classroom. That other stuff can wait.
Ask questions like you mean them. There are so many wasteful questions we ask in a day – generic niceties we expect no authentic response to. Flip this script by asking questions you actually want real answers to. Give honest answers that invite conversation and vulnerability.
Talk to Students About Their Presence, Too
Presence doesn’t have to be one-way in the classroom. It’s worth it to address the topic with students as well. They often come into our classrooms with their own stressors, distractions, needs, devices, and goals. They’re only human, too.
Talk openly to your students about their presence and engagement. Share with them what it means to be present in the moment, how distractions can take us away from the people and opportunities around us, and how to make the most of their presence with others.
Much of what we truly teach, after all, goes far beyond our class’s content and impacts the life and habits our students develop.
How do you maximize each moment with your students and truly be present with them? Share your ideas with us in a comment below!