Something to Remember

Last Wednesday was a super fun day to observe. Usually, I just kind of hang out, listening, looking at their assignment, reading through a few essays. But I got to participate in the conversation on Wednesday. Chris is totally open to me participating at any time, but Wednesday, I don't know, I just decided to speak out. The students were working on a paragraph about how slavery changed Mrs. Auld in Frederick Douglass' slave narrative, using quotes and commentary, etc. The student teacher Gina was leading the discussion while Chris was writing down what they said on the computer which was displayed on the board up front.
This is what I noticed: Chris had this certain idea in her head that she wanted the students to get to. She had her ideas about why Mrs. Auld changed, and because she was working so hard to get her thoughts out, she stopped listening to the students. Gina would call on students, they would say their opinion and it was like Chris didn't hear them. She didn't write down what they said, and at times would shut their idea down. It wasn't malicious at all, but I think the students could tell that she had something in her head that she wanted them to get to. And after awhile of not getting it, fewer suggestions and opinions from the students came forth. I didn't say anything profound. In fact, Chris shut my idea down too. But I wanted to help, and I wanted to affirm some of the students. So I chose a girl whom Chris had unintentionally ignored and affirmed her thought and tried to twist it into what I thought Chris might have been getting at. Like I said, I wasn't right in Chris' mind. But I hope that girl felt valued. The paragraph didn't get finished, and Chris had Gina and I finish it for them so they could see an example (as their homework was to write a paragraph like that themselves. We came up with something that satisfied Chris, and that was the end of that.
I don't write this with any negative feelings toward Chris. I could say how that was awful of her, and I will never do that as a teacher. But I can't say that because I totally get it. I have had moments when I am trying to put a thought to words, and people are suggesting ideas or sharing their thoughts and I'm not even listening. I am really glad that I got to see this happen because it's something I never saw becoming a problem. I hope to remember this moment so I can be more self aware when I am teaching. I think what Chris did was a very human thing to do, and I don't blame her. But I want to learn from her mistakes as well as her successes- because that's what observing is about.