body language

One of my centres in the classroom is the listening centre. At the listening centre there are headphones and a CD/tape player and a book that goes with the story being played. This centre is my quietest centre. As the children put the headphones on, they are thoroughly engrossed in the story being played. I received these books recently from a parent that each came with a CD. They are so well done that the students want to hear them over and over again. As I was sitting at another centre helping out some students I looked over and one of the students was pointing at the story and the words, showing the other student where they were in the story. There were no words exchanged, just motion with the fingers, eye contact and facial expressions. It was so great to watch and it reminded me again of how powerful my body language is. There have been times during the school year where I cannot speak out loud to a child, for instance during our chapel. All the students have learned about me in the first few weeks of school was my body language. I will look over, snap my fingers, just look at them and then I end off with a wink and a reassuring smile that they made a good shift. Body language is extremely important in all areas of my teaching. It often communicates more than words do. It is just like the game Simon Says; children will often imitate what I DO not always what I SAY.