12 September 2014 / by John Shepherd

Transmitting in the Classroom. What we can take from classical music.

 

Whether it be listening to a film director talking about his new blockbuster creation, or watching a protestor stand at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park and tell us about what is wrong with the world, we are transfixed by the same common denominator, passion.

Used correctly, passion can transfix an audience, leave a crowd mesmerised and wanting to know more, even the most mundane topics can be brought to life by an injection of passion.

Transmitting in the classroom is therefore one of our biggest responsibilities. As Teachers we are passionate about the English language,we are passionate about people, we believe that our language provides the key to enable a brighter future for those we teach, therefore, we have to transmit it.

We always transmit. We transmit when we are passionate about something and when we detest it, when we are certain about something and when we are doubtful, when we are happy and enthusiastic and when we are tired and under the weather. As teachers we will always try to project the best of us to our students. Again, the more we understand our subject, the better we will transmit and the better we prepare, the more self-confident we will appear in front of our students.

Transmitting in the classroom should be an easy task, rather than keeping a lid on the energy and passion we have, our passion for the English language should be released into the classroom to be shared with our students. Our students have a shared interest in the English language, that's why they attend our classes, so if we can fuel this interest a student has in our language, with our passion to teach it, we will create a blossoming environment to learn.

Watch the video of Benjamin Zander on classical music above, for me, classical music is one of the most lifeless art forms, yet Zander illuminates classical music with his passion, creating an artistic masterpiece that I cannot take my eyes off. A perfect example of how transmitting can have such an influence.

Transmitting in the classroom is key to our success.

 

 

04

May 2012
Somebody, Anybody, Anywhere and Nobody
by Radmila Gurkova
Singular indefinite pronouns  Somebody, Anybody, anywhe...

04

May 2012
What is there? What are there?
by Radmila Gurkova
What is there in the classroom? There IS a table... There is a chair... there ARE windows! There IS a ceiling! There is/There a...

30

April 2012
APRIL Monthly Quiz
by Radmila Gurkova
Test your knowledge with our April Monthly Quiz! ...

29

April 2012
EUROVEGAS - America in Europe
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44ZRZDVVjuw An America tycoon wants to build Vegas in Europe and has chosen Spain as the destination. The American business tycoon, Sheldon Adelson wants to emulate Nevada’s state cash cow 'Las Vegas' here in Spain and is deciding where to build - Madrid or Barcelona. The decision has sparked a row...

29

April 2012
P2 Titanic prepositions of time
by Radmila Gurkova
Is it in the weekend, at the weekend or on the weekend? What time do you go to work?...

29

April 2012
Homophones...TWO, TOO, TO
by Radmila Gurkova
Do you know how to use TOO, TWO & TO correctly? These are homophones (words that are spelt differently but have the s...

29

April 2012
TITANIC - 100 Years
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xKDRmhp6lQ Titanic is the world’s most famous maritime disaster in history. The colossal four funnelled ship hit an iceberg in the Atlantic ocean during it’s maiden voyage on April 10 1912 and sank to the icy bottom, making history worldwide. The ships top speed was 23 knots with a total capacity ...

09

April 2012
To be or not to be
by Radmila Gurkova
TO BE I am You are He/She is It is We are They are Examples I AM a teacher. You ARE a student. He IS an actor. It IS a cat. We ARE Spanish They ARE politicians ...

09

April 2012
like and as
by Radmila Gurkova
Like and as can be confusing in English. Both like and as can be used to describe how similar things are. Like + noun/pronoun. For example I'm like my mother. Like my mother, I have brown hair. As + subject +...

09

April 2012
2nd Conditional - If I had a million dollars, I would give it to charity
by Radmila Gurkova
We use the second conditional to talk about impossible situations. IF + PAST SIMPLE - WOULD + INFINITIVE (Condition) WOULD + INFINITIVE + IF + PAST SIMPLE  (Condition) If I went to Madrid, I’d visit the Prado Gallery....