Learning is Fundamental

Teachers tell their students that learning is fun and key to a successful future. Lifelong learning is touted as the way to be in the world. And yet … I’ve heard of a teacher who does not feel that she should personally have to update her repertoire of teaching techniques. And another who finds his time overwhelmed and cannot be bothered with anything in the developmental stages.

My sisters, both teachers, love to incorporate the new ideas into their teaching tricks. One of my sisters is part of a trial for using Tablet PCs in the classroom. She has called me frequently for tech tips and how-to help with PowerPoint. She has experimented and practiced using her new toy and found that the kids absolutely love it and can stay focused for longer and be redirected more easily when they lose that focus.

She and her collegues in the experiment presented their findings and ideas to the staff at her school. A school that is supposedly a proponent of lifelong learning. One teacher was viciously against incorporating any technology into the classroom, one assumes that paper, pens, and pencils are permitted even though these technologies were new at one time. Another teacher mentioned that after all the bugs were worked out and all testing and extra meetings completed – then and only then – would that new thing be welcome in the classroom.

What’s up with this? These are the people in charge of instilling a love of learning into the students’ lives. These are the people who are given the task of making learning enjoyable and worth the effort. By their own behavior they demonstrate that this is not the case in their own lives. How are they getting the message across to their charges?

I do not have a teaching degree. But I have taught computers to high schoolers and in adult education classes. I also assisted in the teaching of grade school and junior high students. What I have noticed is that mirroring happens in the classroom. When I was excited about a topic, my students would be excited about that topic. That’s the good thing.

When I was angry, the students responded with anger. When I yelled, I lost control because yelling is not an authoritative behavior, but a behavior of last resort. When I whispered, the entire room became silent in order to hear what I was saying. Mirroring is a well documented behavioral concept. You and your listeners respond in kind to each other. I do realize that there are more students in the classroom than there are teachers and so the adult is outnumbered. I also realize that the adult at least should have more coping skills at his or her command.

When you, as a leader, enjoy your subject matter, that enjoyments is telegraphed to your followers. When you, as a leader, enjoy the followers – that, too, is telegraphed. The least we can expect from our teachers is that they bring a respect to the classroom. Respect for the students has been front line news for decades and even so it is not a universal part of education. But respect for the subject matter, respect for learning, respect for the pure joy of understanding are truly key to teaching. Teachers should learn this.