takes up time from the life we want to lead?
I'm working hard at making that not happen, or happen as little as possible, but sometimes.....
Onto other topics.
When I'm teaching I find that possibly the single most important attribute a student can bring to class, the single biggest indicator of long-term success and, normally, short-term enjoyment, is an open-minded faith in their ability to learn.
These people, however long it takes them, get there. They are willing to try other ways of looking at things, other ways to try and learn and they are able to overcome confusion and difficulties. They often have a good sense of humour and a sense of perspective about what they can and can't get out of a class.
Some of them are brilliant students, but some of them are sloggers. For those, it doesn't come easy, their speed or manner of learning is arduous, they may have to work twice as hard, or five times as hard as the average student, but with this faith in themselves as learners, be they kids (most kids have this built in tight) or teens or adults or seniors, they get there in the end and enjoy the ride on the whole.
They are also a whole lot more fun to teach - though that would seem to be beside the point.
This does make me wonder where in our education systems we go wrong that so many people leave thinking that they either CANNOT learn something, or that it isn't worth the effort of trying. You'd think the teachers would be motivated if nothing else, the class is simply much more fun with these folks in the room. Honestly.
Well, that's my bit. Keep the faith folks.
4 comments:
Oh goodness, I hear you, loud and clear! The ones who can roll with the punches are the ones who will succeed, regardless.
Even more so than the desire to learn itself?
I'm thinking society needs to change the way they treat the teachers first. At least here in Spain. Pay them more and give them some real respect. Maybe that way the teachers would be motivated to finding new ways of motivating their students. I'm appalled every time I hear on the news here how another parent has physically attacked a teacher for disciplining a student.
JG, indeed....
ElP, I have had enough students who have been sent on course, so to speak, who don't actually want to be there that much, and possibly aren't all that interested in the material....what seems to separate the wheat from the chaff is faith in their ability to learn. Obviously wanting to learn helps enormously, but many people would like to learn something, but remain convinced that they cannot, and don't even enroll.
Sad.
Mother T, I don't read the papers enough....and maybe a good thing for my sanity. Parents are physically attacking teachers for disciplining students? I have to say that here I find the kids rather poca-vergonya....shameless. They are not embarrassed by their poor behaviour the way I am used to, it has been an adjustment.
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