Teacher, teacher!

A self performed interview

Who and what has influenced your thinking about teaching and learning?

“Growing up hearing stories from my friends who were educated in formal school settings, they often described scenes that were the absolute opposite of what I think of as “good” teaching. I have been left with the impression that most formal K-12 classes seemed to focus primarily on discipline and testing. Rather than learning, my friends’ days were filled with mind-numbing busywork, keeping them “occupied” and “out of trouble”, and their evenings were filled with hour upon hour of exhausting homework. In addition, from what was described to me, the teachers either taught to the lowest common denominator, to not lose anyone in a class that might have had a wide range of learning capacities, or whizzed through everything at a rapid clip to cover all the state mandated standards in time to take end of grade exams, regardless of whether learning took place along the way. Yes, I understand that this seems like a jaded view — and represents the worst of conventional teaching in what is hopefully only a small fraction of teachers — but this is my understanding of it, and it is something I do not look favorably upon.”

“Prior to attending Warren Wilson College, having been homeschooled since I was a toddler, and informally began teaching others when I was 10, there have been a wide variety of teachers and learning environments (both conventional and less so) that had an impact on my view of education and teaching. I have been extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from some amazing teachers, all of whom had a significant part to play not only on my views of “real” education, but also myself as a person. Some of these were teachers I had for multiple years in classes such as fencing, voice, fiber arts, and ASL. Others I had for only a single session, or limited series of workshops, during my pursuit of certification as a North Carolina Environmental Educator and Certified Interpretive Guide training. No matter the amount of time I spent with them, they each further solidified the concept that there is something lacking in our current public education system.”

What do you think is most important in a learning environment and who and what have influenced this perspective?

Compassion, Caring, Respect & Dignity

“Marj, my mentor, nanny, and fairy godmother, is one of those teachers who always leads by example. She truly walks the walk, and I can only hope in some small way that I learned to follow in her footsteps. She has shared so much of herself with me that I could literally write a full thesis about her.”

A Sense of Humor

Science Jim, Chemistry and Physics Teacher

Coach Jeff, Mid-South Fencing Coach

“Both Science Jim and Coach Jeff taught me in classes that are generally thought to be very, very stressful. Chemistry and physics were mentally challenging, and fencing was both physically and mentally demanding. While they each taught me to take what I was learning very seriously, they both made certain I didn’t take myself too seriously or get “bent out of shape” if a particular class was too intense. Each in their own way, made certain that fun was inserted at every opportunity, no matter how serious the material was that we were learning. The ability to be silly played a large part in each of their teaching styles, and was a large factor in my retaining the lessons they taught me.”

Vulnerability

Gordo, Warren Wilson College Professor

“One thing about Gordo that became immediately apparent was the way he was very openly vulnerable with us. What this meant, although it never needed to be stated outright, was that we naturally understood that we could always be safe to be vulnerable with him. This certainty of safety carried over to our actual Outward Bound course in the field, because while we had never met either of our field instructors before the day we hit the trail, Gordo clearly trusted them, so we knew we could also trust them.”

“There are so many important parts of the learning environment, and people who have shared them with me, that this answer would seem to have no end in sight.”

What makes a teacher a good teacher?

“To me, the most primary requirement is a true love of teaching, of receiving joy by sharing with others, which must come from the heart, and from the understanding that you learn from those you teach as much if not more than they learn from you. Another non-negotiable is being a truly “good person.” A teacher can act all they want, but you can’t fool children, they always know.”

“Since teachers often teach so much more than the subject in their course outlines, being a caring mentor is another trait that is shared by the best teachers. Approachability and relatability are other important qualities. If a student feels unable to approach a teacher, the two way street required for true learning becomes a one way dead end.”