One of our favorite young men recently related an incident that occurred while he was working on a computer program in a classroom setting. He needed assistance, but the two people who were designated to help him were standing by, talking. He described their behavior as "Blibber Blabber." His choice of words and the way he expressed himself were rather comical, but the truth is that his needs were not being met while the two adults were blabbing.
We couldn't help but wonder how often this occurs both in and out of the classroom. Are we listening to each other? Are we attending to each other's needs when we should? As educators, of course, we think of how this relates to the students we tutor. We make a point of checking in while we're working with our students, of checking whether the student is "with us" or if we've "lost" her/him. We encourage our students to ask questions, to stop us if we're moving too quickly or glossing over something that needs more explanation and practice, or if we're "blibber blabbering"!
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