The Classroom

“…They say, ‘A child must grow, must be taught the rules. Learn to new way, change his tools.’ No use to rise up, make truth of the lie when the only choice left is when to die.” – Don Ross (A Child Must Grow from the album “Three Hands” released 1992)

I’ve always loved this song, for I feel is sums up how most people perceive public education. Sadly, in some cases, this may be an accurate view. The idea that the school is no better then an assembly line, where teachers fit tab ‘a’ into slot ‘b’, then folds line ‘d’, and “presto!” out pops an educated person, ready for whatever society requires. Mindless automatons… who know only what they have been fed. This idea greatly disturbs me, and thus I feel compelled to make sure my class does not fit this model.

“All the world’s a stage…” – William Shakespeare

Perhaps the metaphor of a ring master at a circus is a better model of my teaching philosophy. Amidst all the noise and commotion I would guide my audience/classes attention to various key points in grandiose style. With a wave of my cane attention turns to the Math Tamer, making the numbers jump through hoops and add up any way you want them. Then using my booming voice I guide them to the Centre Ring where a dangling participle is about to fall into the safety net of grammar. There’s something for every one at the circus of knowledge. But what if my students are afraid of clowns?

Perhaps I could also consider myself a conductor of a great symphony. I help my musicians/students fine tune their instruments, and learn the nuances of the music they are going to perform. I take them through it until they feel they are ready for a public performance, then let them fill the world with their beautiful melodies. 

I am a firm believer in the concept of life long learning, and will do everything I can to keep the music going.

I want to show my students something I was told by one of my teachers, long time ago. “Learning never stops… It just pauses in interesting places.” 

I believe it is my job as an educator to give my students the strength they need to take what people give them, and review it, analyze it, and accept only the relevant parts. Anyone can teach facts by wrote, and with the advances in technology there is no longer a reason for students to only memorize facts. They can just hit a key and have what ever they need appear on their screen. It’s what they do with that information that’s important.

When they walk on stage I want my students to be fully armed and prepared to back up any statement they make. I also what them to be able to take anything that is thrown at them and decide FOR THEMSELVES if it will help in their performance, or if they should duck. I refuse to create mindless automatons, I want thinking human beings. I quote yet another teacher of mine when he shouted to the class “I’m not teaching you for some stupid exam! I’m teaching you for life!!” Six years later that sound still echoes in my ears, and effects my philosophy of teaching, even my philosophy of life.

My philosophy of life is a very simple one: “If it ain’t fun don’t do it; unless it will lead to more fun later on.” This statement defines who I am as an individual. Thus it must effect my philosophy of education as well: “If it ain’t fun, they won’t do it, so make it interesting for them to learn.” This doesn’t mean I’ll just have them play games all day, but I will try to make my lessons as interesting as possible. This way my students will enjoy learning, and will want to continue the process even after they have left my class.

To do this I have to try to reach every student as an individual, emphasize each child’s strength, point out their weaknesses, and help them to turn those into strengths as well. I have to create an atmosphere that will encourage questioning, and intellectual risk, where all my students are not afraid to fail, and do in fact thrive on those failures. For it is those ” lost attempts” from which we learn the most. I will use my own enthusiasm for learning to show my students how wonderful it is. The language I use (both physical and verbal), the lessons I teach, even the assignments I give, everything I do will be to motivate my students into opening up the wings of their minds and rise upon a thermal of information and ideas. And when my students go home, and are asked “What did you do in school today?” I want them to be able to honestly reply, “Today, I soared.”

“This child has grown, he’s been taught the rules. He’s learned the new way, changed his tools. But the strength remains to betray the lie. This child has chosen not to die.” – Don Ross, 1992