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TO TEACH IS TO
LEARN:
If education
means anything, it means to "lead out" (from the Latin "educo") of ourselves
and our students those truths which actually say something about us as
we are. In other words, not to input so much as to lead out of us what
is already there waiting to be discovered, uncovered and expressed. A plant
need not be taught how to grow; it simply needs the proper environment
in which to grow and be fed the nutrients to sustain itself; the plant
does the rest. Perhaps this organic approach could be summarized as "To
teach is to learn".
OPEN A FREE SPACE
When a professor
presents ideas as if they appeared ex nihilo (out of nothing), a
student can despair at never being "sharp" enough to understand what the
professor seems to understand without effort. I open a space for students
to encounter and question their ideas/beliefs/ prejudices without fear
of condemnation of looking foolish. I create a "safe haven" where they
are free to explore and develop ideas rather than run for the apparent
safety of prepackaged ideas given to them by their "authorities".
In this environment, people are more likely to learn if they see that they are free, even as I am, to change their minds, revise their thoughts and the papers which come out of those thoughts. This is how I foster respect and a good rapport with students. I acknowledge my humanity and theirs. We are not there to find answers, only to inquire intelligently as to what are the real important questions. The class is a work in progress and can change many times during the course of a semester. Soon, students realize, because I have designed the course this way, that they are partners in that change, offering ideas I will listen to, give thought to, and make a decision on. I am still the leader, but they are confident in their participation in their own education.
CLASS PARTICIPATION
This participation excites people. They do not feel exiled from the realm
of relevant thought; they are absorbed in it. My passion for the literature,
writing, or whatever, can interact and inflame theirs and vice versa. I
take the point, but they are involved in every step of the operation, sometimes
with one or more of them taking the point. When they understand that I
am genuine in my pursuit of their voice and not just an echo of my own
(and this usually takes 2-3 weeks of concentrated effort), it is as if
they are awake for the first time to their own capacity for creativity
and learning, and some even experience euphoria (no joke) that they can
actually think. They seem surprised, shocked, and at times even mournful
that they have never been respected enough to be asked what they think
and challenged to develop their thoughts.
And they do wake up.
If you have comments
or suggestions, email me at figueroaf@mail.brcc.cc.la.us
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