Let them Learn

When I look back to my own educational experience, I realize that I was always a little different. I was such a reader (and such a teacher) growing up that I looked for lessons in everything I did. And it kind of became my theory on life.

I remember throughout middle school and high school, teachers would ask for the "main theme" of the book. And I thought that was always stupid. How could there just be one theme? One thing we could possibly learn from that whole interaction. I always came up with the lesson I learned, not the one that the book was about. Who cares about love conquers all if everyone dies in the end?

I think that for my students I want them to grow in individualized ways. Ways that make them think and expand their own learning. I don't want them to tell me something that they will forget (or could care less about).

And I will never tell my students "That's not right" when their lessons still apply. I think its important to question and ask them more. Like "Why do you think that?" "Oh isn't that interesting. Can you tell me a bit more?" Give them the floor to explore their own thoughts instead of telling them to follow some robotic scheme.

My goal as a teacher is to step back and watch the learning take place. To push them, encourage them and excite them about learning. I want them to solve the problems and I want them to create their own learning. I want my students to watch, listen, learn, question, answer, explore with the right amount of guidance and the right push. But I want them to seize the moment and give it their best.

And if they fail? They can learn from that failure and they can try again. And they can live life, like I do. Looking at every experience as a learning one. Every book, a way to make us better people. Every relationship, a way to figure something new about ourselves. Every adventure, a chance to explore. And every interaction, a way to share our excitement.

Let the students learn and teach them how they can learn from everything and maybe we can make some lifetime learners and some Supermen and Superwomen of our own.