Parents

In Response to Susan Steven's blog "What Teachers Want Parents to Know"

     As a future teacher this topic brought up some interesting points. Today, the public expects different traits in the "perfect teacher". Usually the public assumes that because you are a teacher your only job is to create a safe place for students not to learn but just to spend their time. Safe places are good put parents today have degraded the schools into daycares which creates tension between teachers, students, administrators and parents. 

     Teachers are here to teach. Simple really, yet today's public does not understand the full context of this statement. Today, parents think that the skills taught in schools are worth less than their child's present happiness. What they do not realize is that sometimes a little pain is what is necessary for a student to move to the next level and to eventually succeed and be happy in the future. And a teacher is not there to facilitate the pain but to encourage, excite and push greatness from every child. Greatness takes time, energy and sometimes a little pain. Teachers need all the help they can get so that their child will feel the burn of greatness and rather than deciding it is too much, go for more! Without the Parents and the Teachers working together such an accomplishment can never happen. Parents need to see the teachers as a partner, not a nemesis. 

     In short, teachers are not here to coddle but to encourage and cannot do it alone. Without the parents, teachers can hardly hope for the students to succeed and flourish. With the parents though, anything is possible for every student. 

To read more on the subject read this article by Ron Clark

Creativity Counts

In Response to Susan Stevens blog post "Creativity"

    Creativity is frightening. Teacher, adults and other role models tell students and children that they can't achieve their dreams. That they are not smart enough or not creative enough or that they might not ever achieve anything. Adults tell children, not to kill their dreams but to "save" the child from the destruction of their dreams. Creativity or dreams cannot be controlled by ourselves though. If we believe that humans own creativity then it becomes hurtful to artists and others who choose to use it. However, if creativity is from an outside source that we can't control who is to say that anyone can't achieve their goals.

     As teachers, we should not only try to exemplify this creativity but also build their actions toward it. As Elizabeth Gilbert expresses in the video below, it is impossible to harness this feeling we call creativity and if children know that anyone can be creative, all they have to have is a pencil, then they will not only believe in themselves but also have a creative life which cannot harm them.



     In this time period, people feel that being creative is dangerous. Maybe creativity is dangerous, but it is still a necessary part of the world. Without creativity there is nothing to say "Ole" too and without "Ole" there is no glimpse of perfection or amazing acts of genius. In today's teaching we have to show children that everyone has a talent and that a little help from a genius, strong wind or little song coming from the world around you can change our lives forever.