The Life of a Teacher
Franklin Habit is what we often call a "renaissance man." He is a teacher, author, photographer, illustrator, and, interestingly, a knitter. In fact, he spends a great deal of time traveling the country and holding instructional classes on knitting.
Yes, teaching and learning is chaotic and messy. Children from a whole range of backgrounds and experiences converge in one classroom. Some are "people pleasers;" others are rebels; they all have different learning styles.
Somehow a teacher must pull all of them together, and the truly great ones manage to pull off this miracle – they inspire and they are unforgettable. We have all had a teacher like this.
The Public Demands on a Teacher
Teachers hate standardized tests just as much as students do. And somehow the public thinks we are producing cars, each one held to the same measures of production. Einstein did very poorly in school; lots of our geniuses do. Honor the way you learn and use that way to keep learning – the tools we have today can accommodate you.
The One Criterion of a Great Teacher
Great teachers do not "force" their biases on kids. And they promote self-learning so that learning can go on for a lifetime.
The One Criterion of a Great Teacher
These three quotes sum it all up. What kids learn in school today may be completely irrelevant to the world they will be living in as adults. In fact, knowledge is exploding at such a rapid pace that forecasters predict all kids in school today will have to re-educate themselves for at least 4 completely different careers during their lifetimes.
Those teachers and institutions that focus on developing independent learning in their students will produce confident self-learners for future success.
Quotes for Students
It's easy for students to become discouraged with their academic struggles, to lose self-confidence and to think of themselves as failures when they cannot "get" something being taught. Sometimes, they just need an encouraging word, and who better than Dr. Seuss to give that:
And a less "cartoony" quote that should inspire us all from Mahatma Ghandi:
There are many ways to learn and they certainly are not all in the classroom. But all students must commit to learning, however they might do it. Remember that Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg both knew that. This is why they dropped out of Harvard to pursue their own learning and their own passions.
Quotes about Education in General
These following quotes make statements about the general state of education and the importance of ensuring that everyone values education and knows how to pursue learning.
What an inspiration when we think of how some people struggle and place themselves in danger just to pursue education. Those of us who have or are sitting in classrooms being bored right now, might want to put things in perspective.
The perils of a society that does not educate its citizenry are pretty hefty. Consider in America today that there are virtually no jobs available to high school dropouts except fast-food and lawn care. We all pay the price for this in higher crime rates, higher costs of welfare programs, and the shame of not ensuring that every kid can be successful at something.
We need to invest as much as necessary to fix this problem.
There are also those throughout history who have "damned" institutionalized education for its stifling traditions and practices. Here are quotes from two people who did not do well in formal school settings:
No one would argue that these two men left an indelible legacy, and they had very little to say that as positive about their schooling experiences. How many other kids like them have we discouraged?
And here is how Alvin Toffler, author and "futurist" looks upon the state of education today:
And finally, Clifford Stoll, astronomer, teacher, and author has this to say about the future of society:
Share This Article
