Thursday, January 17, 2013
January 31...Teaching Toward Freedom, pt. 2
Ayers: "Teaching
ignites enduring questions and concerns: Who
in the world am I? What does it mean to be human? What is good and fair
and just? What kind of world do we live in...? What should we bequeath to the
coming generation? What might we reasonably hope for?" (p. 31). Is it easy
or difficult to imagine that as a teacher you will (or do) address such
questions in your class? Can you think of any experiences from your own
schooling or as a professional that either did or glaringly missed a an
opportunity to contend with these weighty issues? If not, why do you think you
haven't seen an of this in play in schools?
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As a former 3rd and 4th grade teacher I certainly tried to take full advantage of life's most teachable moments (like character building opportunities) when we stumbled across them during the school day. I always figured if we were in the middle of going over content like long division or Jamestown, taking a little mental break from that to focus on "family matters" (I liked to call them family meetings) would be a welcomed moment of fresh air for students. And honestly, when I look back on my teaching career thus far, those are the moments that have stuck with me, that I carry with me and will always smile when I recall those memories.
ReplyDeleteI remember the week that our class pet passed away, a hamster named Fudge (after the character in the book A Fourth Grade Nothing) and I knew it was a topic that I needed to tread gently through but could not ignore. So I managed to "hide" the dead body (so my students would not have that memory associated with this beloved pet- many of my students had no pets at home)and got the custodian to remove the body when the class was at lunch. After lunch we had a family meeting. I remember this like it was yesterday, but I could not tell you what I taught that day as far as curriculum, or what grades my students received that day, etc. I explained to the class that Fudge had lived such a good life, always surrounded by kids that loved him, always eating like a king because the class would bring him grapes and carrots from lunch, and that he was so loved and happy that he lived a long life and died of old age. I told the class that he just fell asleep and did not wake up and was not in any pain. I gave the class a chance to ask me questions, and grieve a little, and we took a good 30 minutes to write goodbye letters to Fudge (if they chose to). A couple of my students cried a little and it gave the other kids in the class a chance to practice empathy and coping skills. It was an amazing moment that I was proud of as a teacher.
I think the opportunities to speak to the hearts and character of our students are around us in the classroom each day, all day, and we just have to be unafraid to go after them and reveal a little bit of who we are as people, and not just as teachers.
-Kristin Walton
I really love your idea of family meetings, because you really are these kids second family. I think it's great that you took time out of your days to teach and talk about practical things along with your daily curriculum. When I am teaching I really hope to be able to do this because in my opinion, those lessons are more important in some ways than academic lessons. You gave your kids time to actually grow as people by experiencing and actually discussing issues that they will have to deal with later in life. I do have some concerns that maybe the way I would deal or teach some of these things would not be the parents would want their kids hearing about it. Especially with your issue with the death of the pet. Every home has different views on death and I would be nervous that I would be stepping on someones toes. Overall though I think you handled it great and I hope I will be able to do the same in those types of situations!
Delete-Sarah Angles
I fully agree with Kristin, we need to act on opportunities that present themselves in our classroom to foster the good, right and just. My classroom has the wonderful opportunity to interact with students of all abilities. As a result, we all have had the chance to learn from all students with varying abilities and with each other. I have a daughter with Down's Syndrome who has been so fortunate to have had the chance to be educated in an inclusive environment, so right from the outset, I try to create a classroom environment that is welcoming and accepting of all students. Students really observe how we as teachers interact with students and can be profoundly affected, in a very positive way. I truly believe it is our responsibility. It is my hope as a teacher we can meaningfully model goodness, fairness and justice in our daily interactions both in the classroom and in our community.
ReplyDelete~ Rhonda Martella...
Rhonda, I love your post! I think about these issues a lot. As an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, I work with children (ages 3-5) with disabilities. I also work very closely with their families and other care/therapy providers. In preschool, a big part of the curriculum is fostering social-emotional development: how to appropriately interact with others, how to regulate your emotions, etc. In addition, a large part of my job is fostering independence in my students and empowering them overcome the developmental barriers that may be in the way of educational and relational success. Many of the children that enter my classroom have developed difficult behaviors and a sense of learned helplessness as a response to their environment and the way they are treated (i.e., a child with a disability being allowed to do whatever she out of pity and/or it’s just easier to do things for her). I am charged with breaking down the stereotypes of children with disabilities in the minds of families, other teachers, children’s peers, and even within the children themselves. I hold very high expectations for each of the students in my classroom and try to model those realistic standards to others. I love hearing, “Wow, I didn’t know he could do that!” Given the population I work with, ideas of right versus wrong and fair versus just are likely not going to be taught during a specific lesson or activity in our classroom, but through ongoing interactions and encouragement.
ReplyDelete- Amanda Hayes
As a future elementary school teacher, I believe that all of these questions should be incorporated into my future classroom. However, I do also think that the discuss of them would be less complex than what an older student may be able grasp--although, sometimes children have more insight into these "big questions" than most adults do.
ReplyDeleteBasically, I think that elementary school teachers lay the foundation for questions like these to be answered more fully in the future. In particular, the question "What is good and fair and just?" is very important in a classroom, because it governs what are acceptable and unacceptable ways to speak, behave, and interact with one another--teacher to student, student to teacher, and student to student. should be accepting of themselves and others, make decisions according to what they deem to be right, and make connections between themselves, their peers, and human beings all over the world.
I like that Ayers also included a question about what we will bequeath to future generations. I think that this is such an important concept for children to begin thinking about. Too often what future generations receive involve ruined habitats, debt, oppression, and war. If we are to give more than we take from the future, every man, woman, and child needs to understand the ripples of our actions. Beginning when they are young, people should begin to grasp that what you do not only affects you, or the others around you, but countless numbers of people you do not know and have never met.
I think it is scary and somewhat difficult to think about all the questions I will need to answer in my future classroom. Children are extremely curious and they ask all sorts of questions and they expect you, the teacher, to have all the answers to their questions. With that being said, I don’t know that I will always know the best way to answer their questions. I do not remember in my schooling ever asking a weighty question as the ones referenced above, I was mostly the shy kid during my elementary years. I think that we do not see this in play in schools because the school system is basically one big political arena and teachers are concerned with keeping their jobs. On the other hand, I think it’s important for students to figure some things out as they go along. So, questions like “Who am I?”, students will figure that out as they progress through school and through life. Sometimes teachers don’t have all the answers, but we can help our students figure out the answers to these important questions by supporting them and giving them a safe learning environment where they feel comfortable to grow.
ReplyDeleteAlison Greci
I do think that these questions may appear in the elementary school, but not as much or as in depth as they would in later grades. I think it is important to help students come to their understanding of themselves. Students do so much growing in one year of school, so it is almost impossible to not have some "self" questions show up at some point. I think it is my responsibility as their educator to help them build the foundation of themselves. I want to be a person in the my students' lives that they can come to to discuss these things. I also hope that when they do come to me, I am able to help them answer these very important questions.
ReplyDeleteIt is very difficult to imagine having to address these questions as an educator. I am certainly worried about being responsible for them coming to the wrong answer for some of these questions, which may then affect the rest of their life. That may be me just thinking a little drastically, but it can happen.
I do not remember any of these things coming up while I was in school. It was probably because the teachers did not want to deal with this kind of stuff in the classroom. I do not blame them though, these questions are very deep. I feel that it is important to help a student reach their full potential and that can be achieved through answering some of these questions.
-Breck
I am a huge fan of utilizing service-learning in our schools, and I have seen a number of my students benefit from the various service-learning projects I facilitated over the years. I will admit that it takes a lot of time to facilitate a service-learning project, and you usually need some money as well. Often people skimp on the “learning” part and then it becomes a simple service project. Another key element of service-learning is to let the students lead the project, which can really give them a sense of autonomy and a belief that they can make a difference in the world. I’ll give one example of one of my yearly service projects….
ReplyDeleteI worked in an alternative high school for a number of years, and we had an 8th grade program for over-aged 8th grade students. My last year at the school the school district decided to revise the program for over-aged 7th grade students and the students would complete the 7th and 8th grades in one year. The school district also, in all of their brilliance, decided to move that program to a middle school and put us out in the trailers. We made the best of it, and it was almost like we had our own little school out there (we only had a total of 30 kids). My agency had received a small mini-grant that year to complete a service learning project. I had weekly groups with the students, so I began to work through a series of lessons to help them identify the “need” in their community that they wanted to address. They decided that they wanted to do something about the trailers, and specifically they wanted to spruce it up, have a place to go out and read, and in general make it less depressing. I worked with the science teacher to take the kids on a field trip to Lowe’s where they could learn about different plants, sod, and other gardening ideas. I worked with the language arts teacher to have them write a letter to me outlining their plan and the purpose of their project. The 30 students were divided into 3 groups during the day, so I had 3 proposals coming in for each of the 3 designated areas in front of the trailers. I also worked with the math teacher so they could decide how much top soil, mulch, sod, etc (depending on what they wanted to do) they needed and they had to submit a budget to me. When our “workday” finally arrived, it was all hands on deck! It was amazing to see the groups work diligently on their respective projects. They were so excited and so proud that they skipped lunch so they could finish. I actually ended up taking a few students home that afternoon so they could finish. Throughout this process, they learned how to define community and that it is not always where you live. I can tell you that some of them struggled with this because their homes are not in safe communities or where they feel loved. They learned about teamwork, how to delegate, how to give constructive criticism, and even lessons about taking care of plants and what that means in terms of the environment. The students were so incredibly proud of their work, and you should have seen them yell at anyone who tried to walk on their new sod instead of the sidewalk! And, these are students considered by some as “at-risk”, “trouble-makers”, and students who just don’t care about school! Yet, when given a positive outlet they can learn about who they are and what might their place be in this world. And, perhaps more importantly, they can learn that they don’t have to “live down” to the stereotypes, labels, and what they see portrayed in the media.
-Caren
Anise Robinson: In my years as a student, from preschool until my senior year of high school, I cannot think of a specific time where a teacher addressed these issues. Maybe because there are so many small instances where these questions receive some answer, just none of the lessons were mind-blowingly inspiring. There are so many opportunities in a given day where teachers can demonstrate life lessons to their students. I am currently working as a preschool assistant teacher and even in my class of three year olds the children are learning about their roles and capabilities. When a child chooses to push another, or put another child in a choke hold (happened this morning) there is an opportunity to teach them how to communicate their needs with words not force. In this lesson children can learn the power of their words. When we are cleaning up and a child says, “But I didn’t play with that.” There is an opportunity to teach a lesson about community, being responsible for our environment and one another. I am sure that in a few years none of the children in my class will remember the day they learned about community in preschool, but that lesson was addressed in the classroom. As students get older I am confident teachers will have the opportunity to address these weighty issues and have an effect on their students.
ReplyDeleteI honestly can say that I hope that teachers are ready to be asked these questions and have students use them as moral directors. Teachers are there to serve as liaisons to the world; they are supposed to provide help. The only concern is that none of these questions have one direct answer. A teacher cannot be expected to tell a child or an adolescent how to live their life, but they should be able to help them think of the different aspects. As a future counselor, I hope that I can someday engage in a conversation like this with a student. Counselors should feel comfortable helping students come to their own conclusions. These questions do not have one set answer and thus we have to let the youth come up with their own answers.
ReplyDeleteDuring my time in school, I would have to say that I have not really had the opportunity to talk about these topics with school faculty or staff. Growing up in South America, I was much of the time surrounded by religion and its many shapes and forms (aka my teachers) thus limiting the conversations and ending them with a religion connection. Many of my teachers answered every day questions with religious answers. I now know that not everyone has the same beliefs and that they may take different views on different things. We just have to encourage the conversation.
- Oscar "Nick" Zubieta
Ayers asserts that teaching brings about important questions such as, "What is good and fair and just?" (p. 31) among others. As a former teacher of 2nd and 3rd grades and a resource teacher in an alternative school for students who public schools would no longer serve "in house," I couldn't agree more with Ayers. I enjoyed reading about the experiences of Kristin, Rhonda, Amanda, and Caren in addressing issues outside of what are considerend to be a part of the curriculum. I, in fact, enjoyed addressing those issues more than I enjoyed any other aspect of my role as a teacher. When I taught second grade in Richmond City Public Schools, I worked with a great community of second graders. We truly all worked together to make our classroom a place where everyone felt valued. I encouraged the students to be kind to everyone. In turn, the students would begin to "call out" their classmates when they felt they weren't being kind or just. Somehow, they managed to do it tactfully...and it worked! I think the theme of that year was simply caring...caring about each other. I learned so much from them. On the last day of school, we all cried together. I cried with many parents. It was one of the hardest days of my life up to that point....because that year was much more than teaching reading and math. That year, we all truly cultivated relationships with one another that mattered.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I think I missed a very important opportunity that year. Part of the reason why we were all so very emotional on the last day of school is because our school was closing permanently, and we knew we may never have the opportunity to be together again. Parents weren't happy about the School Board's decision. Children weren't happy. Teachers weren't happy. Before the official decision to close the school was even finalized, various groups were coming in to tour "the building" to see if they would like to purchase it. These groups would come in during the school day...come into our classroom while we were learning to look around at what "the space" could do for them. It was truly offensive. I felt like they were vultures. It upset the children. It upset me. But I never rocked the boat. I should have. I should have at least done something to show my students that their voices mattered, that our voices mattered. As a first year teacher, I was overwhelmed and scared. And I did nothing. Missed opportunity for sure.
-Bernadette
I do not think you ever directly answer these questions. Maybe I should say, you never have to answer these questions directly. Yes, no, this, that. These are life questions that students learn from growing up and experiences through school. To be honest, I don't have any correct answers to the questions above. I am a teacher, but that doesn't mean I know everything. Looking at these questions, I still don't even know how to answer them for myself. Some questions like these, we will never know. I think its about living through these obstacles and trying to learn more about them even if we do not fully understand the meaning. I think it is important to remember as teachers that we can only do our best and strive to give our students the best possible learning experience. Let us also not forget that a lot of these questions will also come from experiences in the home and from parents. The school and home environment are both essential parts in a young child's life. By being a great teacher we can help our students see who they truly are and strive for what they want to be.
ReplyDeleteAs a prospective elementary school teacher, I find it daunting when thinking about fielding these types of questions. I agree with many of the previous posts from others who felt that as an elementary school teacher I will most likely not face these questions as much as with secondary education. However, I think it would be naive for us to assume that we will never have to handle situations/questions such as Ayers suggests. That being said, I am not sure at this moment how I would handle these types of questions. I hope that if questions such as these come up when I am in the classroom, that I am able to have a class discussion on the topic rather than shoving it under the rug. I believe young students especially can often be undermined and thought to be too young to talk about these types of things. I suppose that I will need to start thinking more seriously about how I would handle these types of situations
ReplyDelete-Michelle Blowers
All of the questions brought up by Ayers are difficult. This reading hit a nerve with me- especially the part questioning "What is good and fair and just?" (p. 31) I recently experienced my first 'difficult' IEP meeting and realized that no amount of role playing in class could have prepared me for the feelings associated with this experience. In reality, each side wanted what they believed to be best for the student, however, the ideal of 'we're all on the same side' was challenged by the animosity in the room. I can only speak for myself, but by the end of it all I felt as though I had been professionally and morally attacked. So I personally struggle with: in a world with so much gray, how do you determine what is good and fair and just? How can one keep professional and moral ethics in sync? How do you cope in the situation when your personal beliefs take the back burner to professional ethics?
ReplyDeleteAside from that, in my pull-out classroom and in collaborative settings, I feel like I am blessed to witness many interactions between students that show hope for the future. The students- typically developing and otherwise- are wonderful towards one another. Students are always eager to help one another, to be inclusive, and and are often more empathetic then many adults that I interact with. (On a side note, I would be curious to see whether the levels of empathy and voluntary inclusion would increase or decrease as children moved from elementary school to secondary schools.)
-Ali Southard
I find it easy to imagine addressing the questions Ayers has stated to my class. I believe the foundation of education and the material we teach should be based with in the questions and concerns that Ayers expressed. The material has to have merit in order for it become usable knowledge to the learner. For this to happen, the questions and concerns that are presented for us have to be the starting blocks of our teaching. With out material that has deeper meaning, we become human encyclopedias instead of critical thinkers. One of the reason I am trying to become a history/social studies teacher is because the material is so easy to relate to the enduring questions and concerns. I believe when trying to answer 'who am I in the world?' one has figure how did they get to this part of the world? Why are they here? These enduring questions and concerns are the gateway to the higher thinking skills we should bestow a pond our students.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason I am trying to become a teacher is that throughout my education, when I asked the bigger questions, I was always answered with the same response, 'just learn the material.' I spent a lifetime of schooling wondering why we were even there? I will try to encourage and bring forth what is fair and just in my classroom. Through history students will get to see the hope that generations have had, are having and can have from each other.
I think that we do not have weighty issues in play at school because teachers are misguided. The 'system' corners the teachers into providing material just for passing standardize test. However, when that happens the overall goal for everyone is to force feed material in to the student's mind to achieve what is best for the school, district, county, city, state and federal government. But learner gets cheated from an education that he/she deserves.
I do not find it difficult to imagine a teacher addressing these types of questions. Young students are so curious and have questions about everything. I know I asked a lot of questions in elementary school but nothing as deep as this. I also have not experienced much of this in the little bit of time that I have either observed or taught in the schools. I am not sure if these are questions that would be brought up in a physical education class but I could be wrong. I do believe though if I had to answer these types of questions it would be difficult for me. Some of the questions I feel are better understood later on in life. As an educator that spends so much time with these students do not want to completely ignore the question but what do you do if you don't have the right answer? Is their a right answer?
ReplyDeleteMarshall Ramey
I agree with Kristin and Rhonda that there are opportunities in the classrooms to address those weighty issues. I think it can be easy as well as difficult to seize these learning opportunities as it depends on various factors such as courage (as mentioned by Kristin) or awareness. At times, it is challenging to be aware or focus on these big questions as there are other immediate academic goals to be achieved. I remember my 10th grade English teacher who regularly used the beginning of class time to get us write in our class journals. Sometimes he would let us write whatever we wanted and sometimes he would have specific topics for us. His topics varied from “My Dream Car” to “The Meaning of Seize the Day”. He didn’t really address any weighty issues directly but he got us thinking. I think my education has prompted me to ponder my identity, my place in the world, and the future by sharpening my skills to think analytically and critically.
ReplyDelete-Holly Sin
Shiquana:
ReplyDeleteFor teachers that are comfortable with facing controversy, addressing these questions with students will most likely come easy. For the teacher who finds it hard to answer these question for themselves, it will be hard. When I think back to when I was in high school, I questioned my English teacher about the fairness of treatment between Advanced Placement students and regular education students. I notice that my friends in regular classes were using different books from my friends and I in AP classes, they had little to no work, and there not expected to perform well on their tasks. The thing that stood out most to me though was the different books. Their books were totally “dumbed down” version of the books I was reading in my class, as if these students couldn’t read on a high school level. A great majority of them could! When I asked my teacher about it her answer was, “That’s the way it is. Be happy you got out when you did.” So I should be happy that my friends enrolled in the same school and not receiving the same quality of education that me? I should be happy that I’m being prepared for college while my friends are being taught nothing to prepare them for their futures? Is that good and fair and just? Of course not!
I believe that thinks like this still exists in school because there are not enough people that will stand up for children and call wrong wrong and unjust unjust. To many teachers are afraid that questioning too much will jeopardize their job, which in turn jeopardizes their livelihood. Or maybe teacher are scared if they enlighten students of who they are or can be in the world, it will open up their eyes to how unfair they have been treated, especially in the school system. It definitely opened up my eyes.
Andrew B
ReplyDeleteThese questions are very important and should be addressed in all classes when they come up. I think that way Kristen handled here class by having "family meetings" is the best way you can answer these kinds of questions for students. I also liked how she handled the death of the class hamster. The age group she was teaching is the age when students really start to have questions about what is death.
When I took practicum B last semester the school I was in had a student pass away. Even though the student that died wasn't in the class I was in . The students of that class were affected by the death. The teacher decided on instead of teaching the class the lesson of the day. She had a class meeting and allow the students to ask questions they may have. She tried her best to answer these questions for students. The teacher didn't have all the answer but she was able to answer some of them.
I feel that when it comes to these types of questions we not as teachers but as adults should be able to answer some of these questions. We as adults may not know all the answers thats ok. As educators we need to try and answer these questions so students don't go out and find try and find answer from other places like TV,internet and friends. If we as future educators don't attempt to address these questions in are classroom when they come up then we might as well let students just learn from computers or robots. Teaching should have emotions in it.
Who in the world am I? What does it mean to be human? What is good and fair and just? What kind of world do we live in...? What should we bequeath to the coming generation? What might we reasonably hope for?"
ReplyDeleteThese questions are pretty deep, but I do believe that even at the elementary school level, they may be brought up by a young student. The questions that arise may not be as in depth, but I think that as future educators, we should be prepared to answer these questions. Saying that, I do not know how I would answer. It is something I have never thought too much about, but obviously should. In my experiences in the elementary classroom, I have never been approached by a question like this, or seen the teacher have to address it. But that does not mean it doesn’t happen. After the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, I can imagine that there were questions concerning the world we live in. Children are extremely curious and love to ask questions. Teachers should be prepared to handle situations like this. However, what is the best way?
-Stacy Anderson
I think that all of those questions are something that a teacher should be prepared to discuss and incorporate into their daily lesson plans. However, I do not believe that it happens that often. I think the curriculum in public schools is mostly based on SOL's and what the students need to learn in order to pass. What the students learn does not vary much from that one test. Class rules are discussed, which usually incorporate how to treat their friends kindly, but nothing involving what it means to be human, or "who in the world am I". I believe the biggest issue teachers would have with these type of questions is how do you grade it? There is no right/wrong answer, therefore how do you give each student a grade based upon their answers to such open questions.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in school, we were taught right from wrong, so I believe that question was answered throughout my K-12 years. It wasn't until college that more of the in-depth questions were asked such as who am I, and what does it mean to be human.
-Tiffany Morris
Troy Lyon
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in school K-12 the big question that I always remember hearing was "Why do we need to learn this?". It seems as if when I was in school everyone I grew up with just wanted answers from teachers so they could know when we were going to use this information later in life. I do not really remember any questions being asked like Ayers mentions, but I do remember teachers avoiding some personal questions and when this happened, elementary students become disappointed. I remember thinking my elementary teachers were almost like gods and had all the answers because they were the ones teaching us for several hours a day. When I went into middle and high school I realized teachers didn't have the answers for everything, but I was always still curious about teachers individual views on questions mentioned by Ayers. It almost seemed like there was no time for questions like this because my middle and high school teachers were stressing over the SOLs. I remember teachers constantly saying we were always behind in the curriculum and after a few years of hearing this I just started to think they were saying that so the class would shut up. I think it would be very difficult for teachers to answer those type of deep questions because of chances of disagreements from other faculty, administration, and families. If a student asked questions about the world and the society we live in and a teacher answers, the teacher could be accused of not teaching the curriculum and trying to push individual views on students. I think teachers would be in a difficult situation when asked these questions because everyone has their point of view on these philosophical questions. Does anyone really have the right answer?
Melanie:
ReplyDeleteThe questions submitted by Ayers are necessary to teaching because they are necessary to life. Whether in school or out, stated or unstated, these are questions common to humanity. That having been said, I think that in the elementary schools, these lessons are most often, and perhaps best, taught implicitly on a regular basis. We may not ask children to figure out who in the world they are, but we teach them to love themselves, have confidence in their abilities, and take pride in their accomplishments. We may not define humanity to a second grader, but we do caring, respect, and empathy for others. Children already have their own ideas about what is fair and just, we merely help them to reflect on these ideas as situations arise. Since a child's world consists primarily of their own microsphere of interactions, each child will have a different answer to what kind of world we he or she lives in. I think that school is a place where children may discover which of these experiences they have in common with others. From this starting point, a discussion may develop about what changes for the better are needed, and how they may have a part in those changes. Elementary students are not too young to think about making a difference in the world, as testified by the often avid interest of children in such issues as recycling or poverty. Teachers should help students see that the positive efforts they make in these areas now will affect the future for themselves and others.
These issues are and should be addressed in the public schools. Nevertheless, there is much room for improvement. In a world of testing and pacing guides, teachers often succumb to the pressure to keep the lesson moving. When this happens, there is great danger in missing the teachable moments, such as those described by Kristen and Caren. Too often, during my practicum experiences, I have heard the phrase "We can't talk about that right now." I loved Ayers' description of the kindergarten student whose teacher helped her to write a letter to the city council protesting the unfair dominance of men in the firehouses of New York. This is a teacher who was not afraid to take the time to help his students answer the big questions.
It's really interesting to read all the early education perspectives on this. Most of my classes are pretty much all secondary ed, so it's a nice change of pace. The story about the hamster is great, I remember learning a lot about life from the deaths of small pets. But anyways.
ReplyDeleteI think these kinds of subjects are especially easy for me to address with my students because they are all reflected in literature. I think that anything worth reading will lead to at least some discussion of some of these topics and that it is an English teacher's job to push students beyond the basic 'black represents death' kind of analysis in order to dig into these kinds of questions.
One very distinct memory I have is of reading James Baldwin's 'Another Country' in high school. It's a novel about a black, bisexual, drug addicted jazz drummer who has a sometimes abusive relationship with a southern white women in 1950's New York. She gets committed to an asylum and he jumps off the George Washington bridge at the beginning of the book. Most of the novel revolves around his friends, lovers, and family in the aftermath of his suicide. It lead to some very, very heavy discussion of what it means to be human, what is fair, etc. My teacher didn't shy away from the controversial and potentially uncomfortable aspects of the story and I remember feeling like we were being treated like adults in the classroom. She trusted us to be mature and thoughtful about things that most other teachers wouldn't and this made for a very powerful learning experience.
I worry that we, as teachers, may shy away from such deep discussion because we feel our students can't handle or aren't ready for it. I think we need to trust that they can and are, or else they're going to have to tackle those questions later in life when there might not be someone there to guide them. Or, worse, maybe they won't tackle those questions at all.
-Nathaniel Dominy
Yes, I think that it is easy to imagine addressing these issues in my classroom. These are very important issues that every child needs to be given room to think about and address. Yet, these are also weighty issues, and I know that as a student all throughout my years of schooling, questioning what is right and what is wrong was never something that I did on a profound level. My importance and meaning in life was never questioned much as well--and if it was addressed, it was addressed at church, not at school. Addressing these questions when they come up is one thing; another important thing is being ready to incorporate these fairly philosophical questions into your curriculum just based on your way of teaching and sharing to students. I think the best way is to give them opportunities to think about such things. Even as educators, it is highly important that we know, to a certain degree, what we would even say and how we even feel about those "enduring questions and concerns."
ReplyDeleteI do think that the issue with not being able to answer the question on a deeply personal level would be because we are teaching in a public (or private) institution. There are consequences to discussing questions such as these, if you are really willing to discuss them deeply, or even answer them at all. I think they are personal, and as educators, we also need to recognize how seriously it could affect a child to tell them that life is meant to be lived like this, or that your reason for existence is for that.
A personal experience of my own had to do with 10th grade European History class. My teacher was introducing us to the Philosophes of the Enlightenment and what their philosophical viewpoints were. We specifically looked at the differences between Locke and Hobbes. Locke believed that man was generally good and that we all have the right to liberty and the pursuit of property. Hobbes, however, believed that man was generally evil and that life was brutish and short. The latter viewpoint of Hobbes was treated with disdain by classmates, and my instructor made no attempt to treat that viewpoint with any validity. It was only to Locke that the purpose of man's life was given any weight. It personally made me (without thinking on my part, which is my fault) believe that only Locke's view was the only one that could be reasonably valid. And without going into detail, this actually affected my growth as an individual and really threw me off in terms of my perspective of myself and others.
With all that said--are any of us really ready to take on such questions, and even if we are--do we have access to the proper answers? It is a daunting situation--perhaps this might be one reason why we don't see this in schools. The other? Perhaps because the answers we give would be contrary to the norm, or offensive to the hearer.
Amanda Lee
Ayers suggests that in the classroom some big questions are asked. Questions fundamental to a person’s identity, questions to which each of us is struggling to reach a reasonable conclusion. While I think this is true, I do not think that these big questions are addressed in the classroom in the sense of a teacher or student asking them. Ayers says that “. . .there is no such thing as receiving an education as a passive receptor or an inert vessel.” He goes on to say that “. . .real education is and must always be self-education.” I think this gets to the root of the issue that he presents. Teaching “ignites” these questions by getting teachers and students on the path to discovery. Teaching is not a delivery of facts from a source to a receptor. Teaching communicates to the learner that there are certain mysteries in life that are worth trying to unravel. Teaching is a way for students to realize and pursue their passions.
ReplyDeleteI have had a few teachers in my life that have helped me realize that education was not just about learning facts and passing tests. I had an English teacher in middle school who gave us weekly speaking prompts, urging us to get serious about topics and passionate about our responses to them. We were told to respond to prompts similar to the questions that Mr. Ayers suggests teaching should call into question. It was a chance for us to speak freely about life’s biggest questions and hear others do the same. I think that this particular teacher most of all communicated to me, as Mr. Ayers refers to it, “the most fundamental message of the teacher.” He helped us realize that we all had to the potential to change ourselves and the world we live in.
In a collaborative classroom where teachers take the time to realize that the people they share a classroom with are more than just students who want to hear what they know, but rather individuals with active and engage-able minds, life’s most challenging questions emerge. These questions may not be voiced, asked explicitly, or even thought about specifically. However, teaching sets students on a course to self-education and answering these questions for themselves.
I completely agree with Alison in that teachers may not necessarily have all the answers to provide to students who may ask these weighty questions. Instead, we should provide support and encouragement to help them develop their ideas so that as they progress throughout life and develop their answers to these questions. I think I would be hesitant to answer any of these questions in my classroom just because my views and opinions on the questions could be vastly different than students and their families views. Taking time to answer these in depth questions could also pose a long discussion in which time in elementary classrooms is very valuable and not in excess. I also think that these are questions in which students would develop overtime and as an elementary teacher, we should teach students to be open-minded and think critically regarding their lives.
ReplyDelete-Shaina Parm
I think all of these questions are not only important for the average person to think about but more importantly for the teacher to consider them as well as be prepared to discuss/elaborate them at an elementary level when their students begin to inquire these questions and answers! I personally have never been in the situation where a child has inquired any deep thoughts such as these questions Ayers’ has brought up however I can definitely see them coming up over time due to the world we live in and the tragic things children are faced with these days whether it’s been through the media (TV, internet, school, peers, etc…) or they are directly effected with tragedy at home. As teachers we need to prepare ourselves with these types of deeper thinking questions to help ensure we are able to support our children not only academically but emotionally as well. We will be the ones they build their deep trusts with and we will be the ones who need to be there for them when they need it!
ReplyDeleteWeighty issues and lofty questions such as the ones posed by Ayers are questions that one must answer to reach the “full measure of ones humanity” as he put it in his earlier chapters. This, as a purpose of education, is something I identify with. I strive to give my students the tools they need to reach this.
ReplyDeleteAs a student, I had few teachers that helped me answer these questions within the confines of school. It wasn’t until after high school that I was able to look back on my experience and appreciate those that did. It was the little conversations that we had after class or the talks in the hall that helped me answer these questions that I saw as some of the most valuable parts of my education. It’s a shame that there are things like tests and grades that got in the way of my teachers bringing these discussions into the classroom. Had it been a possibility, the discussions that would have resulted would have helped me become a stronger man as a whole at the time of graduation.
As a teacher, it will always be my goal to incorporate questions like these into class because it is question like these that will help me and my students attain what I view as the true purpose and goal of education.
My K-12 schooling never deal with particularly weighty issues. In fact, in my biology class, we talked about evolution for maybe five minutes. Five minutes! Not only is the whole field of biology grounded in the theory, but it's one of the most important concepts any human can learn: that we are animals closely related by DNA and ancestry to many other species.
ReplyDeleteI will either be a government or history teacher, and both subjects offer opportunities to talk about important ideas. Government only exists because of ethical ideas about how we should live. Anarchists believe freedom trumps any other moral concern, Hobbes believes government is necessary for triumph over our brutal instincts, etc. Political issues are also firmly rooted in personal ethical belief systems, but how do people develop their own?
In terms of history, discussing the world's religions in depth is crucial. I'm getting into Buddhism, used to be Christian, and have Jewish friends, so I know a good amount about these religions, but even as a 25-year-old college graduate, I don't know nearly enough about Islam or Hinduism. I would make it a priority to compare and contrast the major religions so that my students have a better understanding of all of them than I got out of my history classes in high school.