I have been teaching for quite a long time now; even though some days it doesn’t feel like that. However, I have begun to realise, and I wish to promote, the idea of teachers (that is, class teachers) working together to become better teachers. It may have taken me a long time to get to this moment, and this thought, and it is true, it already happens in many places, but I want it to be spread wider, with no negative consequences.
This is why the tag line for my site used to be a quote (‘The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.’) from, Robert John Meehan (an American educator, who worked in many inner city schools in America, and has published numerous poetry books on the subject of teaching, such as, ‘The Teacher’s Journey): all too often teachers learn in isolation, while the actual answer to their problem has been solved in the school down the road. This concept is also at the heart of some other counties education policies around the world, and is most clearly seen in the Canadian education policy, where teacher quality is strived for by taking student teachers from the top percentage of college graduates; allowing sharing information and experiences through an online platform; and all teachers are seen as leaders, no matter at what stage they are in their career.
Every teacher should have the space to try new things with no recriminations, every teacher should be trusted to do the best for their class with nobody looking over their shoulder, every teacher should feel at ease to take their class on the learning journey that they think is the right one, without a feeling of dread. Every teacher should be given the opportunity to learn from others and to share their own ideas. After all, isn’t that what a true teacher is? Every teacher should be allowed to teach.
So here are a few more ideas, feel free to filter, ignore and borrow. If it works, let me know. If it doesn’t work, let me know. If in doubt, sit in a child’s shoes for a moment. Does this challenge, excite, enthuse. Yes? Now, give them more!
Kinkajousreadtoo 