“Never let school interfere with your education." ~Mark Twain
I came across the following quote in the Barefoot College website, a school in India dedicated to working with rural children. As I read about this school, I clearly connected the work they were doing to my experience in Nicaragua. I then wondered what this far away effort had to do with us here in Miami. It was then that I came across an article by Gustavo Esteva; he reminded me of the things that bring me the most pleasure when I teach well.
His piece pointed to the possibility that my role in the classroom as all knowing and complete authority is one of the stumbling blocks in allowing you, the so called students, to actually become engaged to the point that you become aware of the truth of Twain's statement. Many of my years as a student were spent passively receiving whatever my teachers and schools wanted. In the process, I often found myself bored out of my mind, twisted by the pressure and force of grades and the consequences of not playing by the rules.
In my years of teaching, I have struggled even more with this. I work in an institution that demands that I grade you and that I teach certain "skills" that often seem so disconnected from the reality of your own lives. I cringe at the damage I have done and take solace in the effort I make every term to encourage creativity, joy in learning, and non-conformity in the face of institutional pressure and force.
Please visit the three links I've made reference to in this short reflection and let's dialogue regarding the implications of a semester of exploration and profound learning.
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