Inside Education 429, Gene Mehigan on The Master by Bryan MacMahon (4-5-24)

Presented and produced by Seán Delaney. The format of this podcast differs a bit from the usual one in that I am joined by my colleague in Marino Institute of Education, Dr. Gene Mehigan to discuss a book that influenced him on his journey as a teacher and teacher educator. The Book is The Master by Bryan MacMahon, published by Poolbeg Press in 1992. Among the topics we discuss are the following: How a book about teaching in Rural Ireland from the 1930s to the 1970s could speak to a teacher in a DEIS band 1 school in Darndale in the 1980s and 1990s. The consequences of poverty on children in schools. The “stain” of large classes (and their impact on children with language difficulties in particular). The importance of reading How Bryan MacMahon encouraged children to collect words (red notebook) and Gene Mehigan’s variation of it (jar on teacher’s desk). Stages in a reading lesson as outlined by Bryan MacMahon (who noted that they are not rigid and may need modern modification): Arousal of interest (day before) Introduction (before lesson begins to heighten interest in the text) Examination of matter expressed in the text (Comprehension) Examination of matter implied in the text (Comprehension) Write difficult words on blackboard (Tier 1, 2 and 3 words today) Teacher models reading Children read aloud or silently Isolate phrases for composition usage Informed organic chat (in style of everyday conversation) Dramatisation of the text (Reader’s theatre today) Committal to rote “not to be scorned on special occasions” Why a teacher needs to back down in a confrontational situation with a pupil Characteristics of a good teacher; Dedication Sense of humour Clear penetration in the timbre of the teacher’s speaking voice A love of learning Versatility of approach to a lesson A congenial monotony (that can be departed from) Occasional informal language Good blackboard use and being able to sketch Act in harmony with the traditions and culture of the school area Bringing the extraordinary into your teaching. The teacher’s job is to help each child find their special gift. Bryan MacMahon: “I realised that each child had a gift, and that the ‘leading out’ of that gift was the proper goal of teaching. To me a great teacher was simply a great person teaching.” Thoughts on a school library, access to books and encouraging children to read. Trying to entice children to read by tidying books. Buddy reading – to help beginning or reluctant readers but also helping older children consolidate their interest it reading. Helping a teacher narrow down who in a class might have dyslexia How Brian MacMahon practised an early version of “home-school liaison” Contemporary resonances – children from Germany fostered by local families during World War II. How Bryan MacMahon recruited children to look after other children who were vulnerable in some way Resonances with Johathan Haidt’s book The Coddling of the American Mind (preparing the child for the road and not the road for the child). How learning tables enthusiastically helped a pupil later excel as an emigrant “A school is nothing if it is not a place of laughter and song.” Sources of creativity in education The importance of a teacher being a philomath.