I am new at this whole teaching gig, so, please, bear with me as I reflect. Over the years, a wide variety of themes have been thrust to the forefront of my teaching practice, and I will attempt to summarize them here.
— proof not product —
In the back of my mind, everyday, I consistently remind myself of a teacher’s overall purpose. To me, teaching is not merely the transfer of knowledge from one entity to another – it is infinitely more than that; after all, Google is much better at that than me. My modus operandi in the classroom is “proof not product”, which does slightly bewilder my students, at first. Conversations follow about the importance of proving your understanding, to yourself first and others later. This type of thinking fosters an environment where “knowing” something is simply not enough, and that true understanding lies in analyzing why, debating views, predicting results, choosing positions, and creating different outcomes.
— presence not perfection --
From day one in the classroom, teachers are challenged to make numerous split-second decisions all day, every day. My experiences have taught me that perfection is simply not attainable, desired, or expected. On numerous occasions, my various imperfections have come bubbling to the surface, and one thing remains constant: students do not expect perfection, they purely expect that I care about them and their learning – presence not perfection.
— community not common —
Striving towards building a community of learners, not a common learner, is always at the centre of my teaching. The diversity in each student, whether it be in their learning or life, affords us incredible opportunities to build communities that are inclusive and respectful, the values for which all societies should strive.
I end with a passage from a remarkable book titled The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz. In the book, the author offers the following opinion: “People need to believe that they can participate fully in the decisions that affect their lives and have a stake in the societies in which they live.” (p. 275.) In the context of The Blue Sweater, the author proposes the above as part of the solution for eradicating poverty – that is, empowering people with the capacity to be change in their lives and societies. I relate the above recommendation to a model for education: students must feel they are vital components of their own education and schooling.
Paulo Veronese enjoys his family, teaching, learning, and is not to be confused with the Italian Renaissance painter.
I end with a passage from a remarkable book titled The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz. In the book, the author offers the following opinion: “People need to believe that they can participate fully in the decisions that affect their lives and have a stake in the societies in which they live.” (p. 275.) In the context of The Blue Sweater, the author proposes the above as part of the solution for eradicating poverty – that is, empowering people with the capacity to be change in their lives and societies. I relate the above recommendation to a model for education: students must feel they are vital components of their own education and schooling.
Paulo Veronese enjoys his family, teaching, learning, and is not to be confused with the Italian Renaissance painter.
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