I don’t recall Elka having ever stated the fundamental rules of courtesy that we kept using during our colloquia in orientation, unless she referenced them once on the first day, in passing. I may have grown immune to hearing it by then.

The Recorder

When we arrived in class we found that Elka had laid out a bunch of books on the floor between herself and the students, and set out a vase with a flower in it. Around these she’d put about half a dozen books, from a linguistics tome to a classic English children’s storybook. Someone had brought in cookies which served as the centerpiece for this floor-display.

Once we had gathered and milled around a bit, she lifted a pale-colored recorder, which she wielded a bit like a magic wand or a conductor’s baton. She blew on it a few times in little puffs, making no tonal changes but allowing just its natural note. She explained that she’d be using this device to get our attention at the end of an activity or other transition.

The Centerpiece & the Flower

I think the stuff laid out on the floor affects me unconsciously. It lends a feeling of informality and of sharing resources. And eating food together, of course, is always good for a sense of community.

I don’t remember Elka’s saying anything about the books but she may have. (As a non-teacher, I have been less attentive to teacherly details than the others, but I’m starting to open my eyes.) I just inferred that they’re there for us to flip through during breaks.

During her introductory moments she lifted the vase of flowers and explained (I paraphrase here), “You can see these flowers are partly in bloom and partly in bud. Some of you are in bloom. Some of you are just budding.” I didn’t think much of it at the time. I thought the metaphor even a little corny, but still cheering.

Several classes later I was feeling clueless about the reading and also, listening to some of the others talk about their robust teaching experience, began to feel terrified about the internship. “I don’t know what I’m doing. Everyone else knows so much.” And then I remembered the flower. I looked to the center of the room where the flower was (she brings one every day) and just felt a little better about my place here.

The Tone

Elka has a gentle voice and manner, which sets the tone for our conversation in a way that is unconscious to us. I guess we’re modeling her demeanor, because everyone has been (while verbally spirited) mindful of each other’s comments and of each person’s right to speak.

The Support

Elka is respectful of each student and after someone speaks, she nearly always reiterates some or all of what the student has said, acknowledging in a very positive way his/her contribution. There have been a few times when I’ve said something and have felt just a teeny bit like what I said didn’t measure up. But usually I’ve felt appreciated and acknowledged in a sincere — not sappy or overdone — way. It inspires me to continue being an active part of the classroom discussion.

The Flexibility

This may not be directly related to norms, but she did a thing I found interesting today. After we gathered and sat, she started talking. I didn’t notice anything different about the group, but she did. “You’re unusually silent today,” she remarked. I guess we probably weren’t jumping into conversation with the animation we usually do. So suddenly, just like that, she said, “Okay, everyone stand up. We’ll review silently.” And we did, and it felt better to be standing — she was right — and she started putting up cards on the bulletin board with the key points about input that she wanted us to review, talking as she placed each one. She clustered them all on one bulletin board when she could have spread them between two. I appreciated the focus of having them concentrated, sort of like the principle in Web design that you want to give people just a screen full of information without their having to scroll.

If I were to tie this to norm-setting (which is a wee bit of a stretch unless every behavior on the part of a teacher is norm-setting — and actually, I guess it is) I’d say that communicated to us her respect for and attentiveness to us, something that can spread through the class.