SIEHUNG, South Korea—Children smear paint around the room in this class to enhance creativity and expression, 2007. © Thomas Hoepker / Magnum Photos
That’s true politically and economically, but when I take a long term view of learning and education, that’s not how I see it.
Instead, I see the teachers working. And I see the teachers who made them want to be teachers, and the teachers before them that made them want to be teachers. That structure, or lineage, goes back tens of thousands of years in an unbroken chain. And it stretches ahead to the people who will be touched by good teaching and want to teach. This is a very impressive structure. Long after whatever system we operate here to facilitate learning is gone, this other, more vertical, structure will continue – even if we end up in some kind of Blade Runner post-apocalyptic B movie script. Some teacher in rags with a few books or hard drives, or whatever is in their head, will teach a younger person because someone taught the teacher when she was young.
That’s true for any kind of teaching – reading teachers, guitar teachers, dance instructors, of after-school chess coaches. I find this thought comforting when I get frustrated with the current structures we have.
I was reminded of all this when Michele, our office manager and computer maven, sent me a link to a collection of photos on Slate called “Thanks Teach!” that shows teachers over the last fifty years working in a variety of settings. What comes through is the incredible humanity of the situation (as opposed to the fellow in my last post, “I Meet My Enemy”). My favorite is the teacher in Korea with the poster paint. So much for organization.
Happy teaching. When you get depressed, think about the kid in your class who is the next one in line to carry the torch.
Teaching..the gift that just keeps on giving…:)
Agreed.
I have been so blessed to be both a children’s and grownups musician and educator.
Never for a minute should we forget that the gift of being present for a child is precious no matter how demanding the task of being a teacher or a parent is today. We are often unsung heros…so I sing out with you for the amazing gift of those teachers who like myself, wish to empower children to open themselves up to lifelong learning and growing.
Well said. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all were raised to be teachers. Maybe that is a better way to structure schools. Instead of teaching to the test, teach to the next generation.
Teachers, librarians, parents, storytellers — the lifeline to the next generations . . .
My great grandpa, my grandpa, my dad, my brothers (one of which actually quit his 6-figure engineering job), and now me…all teachers. A long line of teachers.
Love this idea of a vertical structure of progression. Much the same in the storytelling world. That world has all but fought attempts to structure an organization horizontally. Much to ponder. Thanks.
[...] their work in a narrative way. It also emphasizes a notion I mentioned in an earlier blog – the “structure” of teaching is not a political one, but rather an unbroken line through centuries of teachers who influenced [...]