Entrance slip: Max Van Manen article

I found several useful insights in van Manen’s interesting paper. For one thing, I never thought that praising a student for his or her remarkable performance might have negative and unintended consequences. But I learned that “giving praise is not without danger. [and] it is important that teachers understand the positive as well as the possible negative consequences of praising students.” (p. 2). I become aware of the fact that untactful recognition might lead to feeling of inequality and therefore, as a teacher will try to understand the particularity of any and every situation and act accordingly and hopefully tactfully.

I also found the discussion of the frustration that novice teachers face at beginning of their carriers very informative.  “Why is it that I received top marks in my courses on educational psychology--but I did not know what to say when one of the students broke down and told me to “get lost” when I tried to help her?” (p. 9) I leaned that to overcome this problem and several other problems that a teacher encounters in classrooms, having the theoretical knowledge is not sufficient and a teacher needs to acquire, through practice, the “practical- knowing-in-action”.

“[T]eacher is so effective precisely because she can forget herself and completely absorb herself in this situation with her students.” (p. 18). I really liked this point. Once a teacher acquired whatever that is needed to be a tactful teacher, the best strategy to perform it, I think, would be to act naturally.

I also found it very useful that, although tact cannot be reduced to set of techniques, the author nevertheless suggested several creative abilities (p. 16) that are required for acting tactfully.