CFR 91.113 states that vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft. Most flights occur under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) and fall under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) where we can look out and see the sights, including other aircraft. This can’t be stressed enough – on average, a pilot may only have 12 seconds to identify, evaluate and evade head on traffic. Even though it’s a big sky out there, aircraft always seem to congregate around airports, navigation aids and airways (think highways for airplanes). Pilots have to keep their heads up and eyes out looking for traffic. Though pilots often make the news for running out of gas, we seldom have mid air collisions. Why? SEE and AVOID doctrine.
This principle is also effective for a Teacher in the Classroom. The three eyes we have as teachers (the two in the front and the third we grow over time on the back of the head) need to be up and scanning for traffic. Teacher’s eyes are even more powerful than the “teacher in command voice” you develop. A teacher’s compassionate and caring eyes must be balanced with the steely eyes of all-knowingness. In your constant sweeps of the classroom, you are looking out to see if students are engaged, understanding or up to mischief.
Our eyes work best from the back of the room, or when we are up and moving around. Our eyes work the least from the desk. Speaking of our eyes, let’s spend a minute and talk about rods and cones. Cones are used at night, they are designed to capture the minute amount of light in darkness. Cones are only located on the outer edge of the eye, leaving a blindspot in the center of our vision. Cones cannot pick up details. This is why your grandmother always said don’t read in the dark. Rods, located in the center, are what we use during the day and respond well to brightness, where they can focus light to the fovea where we get the best detail.
Lately, I have seen a trend of dimmed lighted classrooms, the sound of babbling water and the scent of essential oils. Unless the hot rocks are coming out, this may not be the best for academic production. Of course students are relaxed, melatonin is starting to swell and the eye’s cones are starting to activate, decreasing clarity. Though I understand that fluorescent lights can be problematic, dim lights don’t work either. Find a balance.
As the Pilot in the Classroom use your eyes to see and avoid.