I just ended my session with a bunch of energetic kids, teaching them that it is wrong to BULLY. Yep, that's the word... a tall order for me. I mean, can you even teach such a thing, in a classroom setting?! Maths, Science, Chinese ya I can do that but bullying. Hmmm...now this calls for some creativity. And more. I need to bring the real world into the classroom but how do I do that? The preparation begins... games, interactive and purposeful activities, video, worksheets. You name it, I have it but somehow, something is missing. Is it the furious writing down of answers by the little hands even before they finished watching the video? Or is it the arguing when they do not win in the game? Even when there are no results to be obtained, no grades to be judged. My conclusion: They have obviously been conditioned to learn in such a manner - systematic, result-oriented. There were some questions which had 2 possible answers and I was being questioned by the young minds? "How can there be 2 answers? No, there can only be 1 answer." Well well...Alas, a boy lost his temper and started crying for he did not get his answer correct. I brought him aside after the session and taught him the REAL lesson. No, I didn't punish him but rather, brought him through his behavior exhibited... His ability to realise his wrong is better than a 100% pass on the worksheets I gave out. Recently, I happened to speak to a few teachers who shared with me their experiences and it did stir some of my thoughts in influencing the next generation. Though I am not a teacher by profession, I believe that my job allows me to teach the children in other ways as well and here are some quotes which I really like, with regards to teaching.
Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task. ~Haim G. Ginott
Don't try to fix the students, fix ourselves first. The good teacher makes the poor student good and the good student superior. When our students fail, we, as teachers, too, have failed. ~Marva Collins
A teacher should have maximal authority, and minimal power. ~Thomas SzazTo teach is to learn twice. ~Joseph Joubert, Pensées, 1842
To teach is to learn twice. ~Joseph Joubert, Pensées, 1842
Who dares to teach must never cease to learn. ~John Cotton Dana
The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book. ~Author Unknown
The task of the excellent teacher is to stimulate "apparently ordinary" people to unusual effort. The tough problem is not in identifying winners: it is in making winners out of ordinary people. ~K. Patricia Cross
One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child. ~Carl Jung
Teaching should be full of ideas instead of stuffed with facts. ~Author Unknown
The teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image. ~Author Unknown
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~William Arthur Ward
If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job. ~Donald D. Quinn
(This is funny :P)
The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth." ~Dan Rather
I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework. ~Lily Tomlin as "Edith Ann"
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
Freshness
2 comments:
Hi sis,
Just read this entry and thought that the subject you had brought up is pretty interesting. I was also thinking about something similar to this topic on “How do you instill value into someone?” upon reading an article on The Straits Times, Forum dated 13 May 2009 on
SEXUALITY EDUCATION
Instilling values a complex task
One thing is for sure – that in holistic human development, we need more than teachers to learn how to be a proper human. There are so much about life and to life than learning how to work and provide for our family and ourselves. It is not just sufficient to teach “hard” facts and skills that will aid us in employability in future. Other important things include value, positive attitudes, resilience, emotional management, human-to-human relationship, financial management, faith beyond ourselves, compassion, love, death, living a meaningful and purpose life, etc. Teachers who teach in school can only do that much. If we were to reflect upon our past, we would recall “parents, mentors, seniors, peers, shepherds, older brothers, sisters or cousins, etc” who actually serve as role models for us, and “teaching/shaping” us to be who we are currently. They talked to us, guided us, gave feedback to us, helped us make sense of our decision, actions and experiences, and provided a secure relationship/ environment for us to learn. The context to which all these learning took place was outside of classroom, into the actual lives we were living. And we subtly but obviously learned our “lessons” that “it is wrong to bully”, didn’t we? The most obvious example to learn from is Jesus, who taught his disciples beyond the four walls of a classroom and beyond teaching aids that we are so familiar with nowadays. Moving on, “teaching” in a boarder sense, actually entails what you have mentioned in your entry. I’m glad you want to teach the children beyond what is currently being taught, to bridge the gap that is lacking in society. May God grant you the wisdom and clarity of focus to impact the the children. =) Bless!
Exactly! Thanks for extending my train of thoughts into something more :)
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