Through some engaging conversations last week, it is really interesting to get to know how others in the teaching fraternity are dealing with both problems and opportunities in their own contexts.
What is heartening to witness is the presence of some teachers who care deeply about the ideals of education, having the courage and priority to always do what is right and good for the pupils and not being distracted by perception or measurements. Their conviction is inspiring and there are plenty of methods which I can learn from.
Stories are exchanged and one of those which really left an impression on me is a case whereby a friend recalled an incident when he was still a pupil in school. It was an impressionable lesson carried out by a highly persuasive teacher. His teacher spent perhaps the course of one lesson to convince his class, using clear statistics, that they are better off not furthering their studies after they finished secondary school, and that they should just contribute to the workforce as early as possible. The very sad thing is, some of my friend's classmates and friends got convinced in that very short amount of time that it was indeed a very viable option and they went on to do exactly that.
More than 20 years down the road, my friend still spoke with much anguish and contempt about that incident, and how it had adversely affected some of the lives of those who were there in the class that day. Such a strong influence, but such a crippling belief.
Fortunately, this friend of mine did not get indoctrinated on that day and went on to graduate in a reputable university and is presently a very skilled teacher in bringing about changes in pupils, in a good way.
We play such important roles in shaping beliefs. This, we have to do very mindfully and effectively.
1 comment:
True, whatever a teacher says or does will have an impact on his/her pupils. As teachers, we not only have to be mindful with what we ‘teach’ our pupils, we also need to reflect on our own value system!
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