Inner Landscape of Teaching and Learning Vincent F.

Williams EDFD 7309:01/ Spring 2011 April 12, 2011

Vincent F. Williams

Inner reality of Teaching and Learning

Students come out of their mothers womb wanting to learn. Why would some teachers say that a certain student doesnt want to learn? Maybe the person doesnt want to learn from that teacher. Maybe the student doesnt trust that teacher. There are a number of reasons why some students seem uninterested in school. As I reflect upon my experiences and recall my observations, I will be explaining my school of thoughts on teaching and learning quintessentially. Though teaching and learning are associated with one another, I will explain each one on a holistic view. The mental, social, spiritual and culture are all connected in harmony and balance. The following are just my thoughts in a working document. Education is the grand equalizer of the Universe. Knowledge is the one thing that levels the play field regardless of any demographic. Every person should innately have the right to receive knowledge through a quality and appropriate education for them as a unique individual. Many times people confuse the term education. The word educate comes from the Latin word educe which means to draw out. Many times people want to put in information or train students. Educators need to understand that the intent is to spark the interest and draw out the desire to learn how to think and solve problems.

TEACHING
Teaching is an art. It is a skill that can be taught or one can be given the gift from birth. Like any other gift, teaching skills need to be polished and mastered. Not everybody has what it takes to be a master teacher. Because of its integral role in society, unfit/untrained teachers should never enter the classroom to teach. This influential position must be taken seriously. Without proper understanding, teachers can unconsciously affect students in negative ways.
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Vincent F. Williams

Teachers must recognize the centrality of relationships between teachers and students, among students, and within the community as a whole. Teaching is a calling, a constant journey towards mastery, a scientific activity, a matter of community membership, an aspect of a learning community. A teacher is a parent, friend, guide, coach, healer, counselor, model, storyteller, entertainer, artist, architect, builder, minister, and advocate to and for students. Therefore, the art of teaching should be mastered and performed with passion and care. Mentally (Intellectually) Teachers must be ready before they enter the classroom. Competence in the art of teaching is just as important as competence in the content itself. It is important to deliver accurate information to students. The most critical issue is how we deliver the accurate information to our students. Teachers must corroborate their understanding of all the learning styles of the students. Socially Relationships are important in teaching. Respect and trust has to be developed. Both take time to develop but effective teachers build it gradually, ideally in the beginning of the year. It saddens me to reflect on the many poor relationships that I had with teachers. This experience of the banking method of education as Paulo Freire explains is unacceptable is should be discouraged in all institutions of learning. The banking method is simply teachers depositing information in students like the bank with no really engaging interest or interaction. The information seems meaningless. John Dewey states that, education is the fundamental method of social progress and reform. I wholeheartedly agree with this. School is an extension of the home and community.
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Vincent F. Williams

Education takes place in the school, home and community. People value education because of the positive impact that it will have on the community members currently and in the future. In order to favorably change the status quo, one needs to be educated on how to think and solve problems. Teachers are so important in this role and must lead by example. Emotionally Just as people have different learning styles, they also have different levels of emotional intelligences. Teachers should be aware of the students emotional intelligence. Both learning styles and emotional intelligence shape the personality of the student. The teacher must be in tune and understand their individual personality as well. People react differently to their emotions and the emotions of others. Providing support emotionally is essential for building strong relationships. Relationship between the student and teacher is just as important as the relationship with the teacher and the content. A master teacher employs the Martin Buber - I and Thou relationship with the students and the content. This is a relationship openness, love, forgiveness, sincerity and mutuality. As the relationship with God is authentic, so should our relationship with other people. Spiritually Separation of Church and State is possible but separating spirituality from human society is not possible. They do coexist. I believe that spirituality is the center of our being. Every person was put on this earth with a divine purpose and destiny. When we lose touch spirituality, we lose touch with the people around us. People will become selfish and community will be lost. When we embrace spirituality, we invite the sense of community that we need.
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Vincent F. Williams

Culturally Culture is a lifestyle. Everyone has a lifestyle, but some educators do not see the role that culture plays in education. Teaching in school should be an extension from the teachings of home and in the community. If they are not in sync then there will be conflicts and struggles for the student. We live in a society of many different cultures and teachers must be able to educate those from different cultures. Teachers should not force any student to act a certain culture; there is no single culture that fits everybody. There are many strengths and weaknesses of every culture. Therefore, every teacher needs to focus on the strengths of the students, not their deficiencies. Master teachers will not see broken children, they will build on the culture that the students bring to the classroom.

LEARNING
Learning is a daily operation; once we stop, there is no more living. We are all lifelong learners but the knowledge we gain is relative. We all have different paths/destinies in life and have to be prepared for the unknown. The major purpose of our foundational education is to teach us how to learn in order to best prepare us for an unknown future. Mentally (Intellectually) The learning environment is important but it is the will and desire to learn that will dictate the extent in which we learn. Learning can be very discouraging if one does not receive instruction that fits their learning style. For example, if the teacher was speaking English in a

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classroom full of who speak Spanish, German, French and Arabic then these students would be uninterested and discouraged. The same applies for learning styles. Socially The social development of an individual is something that affects others around that individual as well as the individual. The school is a microcosm of life. Students should learn, in a safe and friendly environment, how to manage lifes adversity and interact within the community. This development is most often learned by example. Students/children consciously and subconsciously repeat the behaviors of role-models. Emotionally Learning takes place best when the emotion/feeling of confidence is within the student. When students have that can do spirit, they apply more effort and ultimately achieve higher results. The environment of schools should be safe and accepting. There should be no embarrassment when answers are not correct. Motivation needs to be given to all students. It will bring interest to the subject and give students the desire to learn the information. Spiritually Spirituality alone cannot make the learner achieve higher. It will definitely lay a strong foundation to build upon. It will give students and clear, open and understanding mind to process the information. I believe that prayer changes things. It will calm the soul and allow the individual to have faith in the Higher Being, himself and others. Faith in the teacher is important because the learner needs to believe that the information will be beneficial for the unknown future.

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Vincent F. Williams

Culturally Students must have knowledge of themselves and their communities. Understanding and accepting themselves will allow them to grow and build character. Students who have a sense of identity and pride will strive to achieve because they know what they can achieve. Therefore, it is imperative that students see and learn from those who share similar cultures. When a child sees someone successful that came from similar adversities/background, the child gains hope within.

Conclusion
To sum it all up, all students can learn and not all teachers can teach. All students need the opportunity to be taught in methodical ways that best suit their learning styles, personalities and multiple intelligences. Education should take place in the home, school, and community in solidarity. Teaching is an art and teachers master the skills of content, congruence of pedagogy and learning styles, understanding culture and leading by example. The student-teacher relationship must be authentic; student will know and react off of the passion and enthusiasm of the teacher. We must set high expectations as we educate our students in a dynamic and interactive environment. Preparing students to use higher order cognitive skills to solve complex problems in a dynamic world and unknown future is the purpose of education.

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