I told you, didn't I, that this reflection on this passage in Proverbs
for teaching so grabbed me that it became a long inner journey. Like all my
reflections, I lived in it. It was a deliberate vagabonding that was so deep
and extensive that I had to cut it up into a bunch of parts. Here goes Part
VII.
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the
springs of life."
When we walk into the classroom, I wonder how many of us silently and
unconsciously say to ourselves "ecce homo, behold humanity." When we walk
into a classroom do we exude the values of
unconditional--uncondtional--open-heartedness, goodness, gentleness, caring,
optimism, and kindness? I wonder how many of us consciously are what Rolf
Potts calls "students of daily life" of each student. I wonder how many of us
find, as Potts said, adventure in normal life and normal life in adventure. I
wonder if how many of us see each student someone's son or daughter, brother or
sister, father or mother. I wonder how many of us see each student as a vital
piece of the future, too valuable to lose. I wonder how many of us realize
teaching is a personal attitude; it is not what we do, but who we are. I
wonder how many of us accept that teaching is service, and that service is to
each student, each student unconditionally; that service to each student means
to save each of them from abstraction by opening your eyes and heart, by being
curious about each of them, by making each real; and, that openness comes from
learning who is really is.
So, I wonder how many of us marvel at the marvelous and mysterious
human complexity that is each student. I wonder how many of us unconditionally
are prepared to welcome and embrace surprise, and ready to be spontaneous. I
wonder, still paraphrasing Potts, how many of us have discovered that the
simple act of walking to class is itself an exercise in possibility. I wonder
how many of us recognize the naturalness of imperfection. I wonder how many of
us refuse to be imprisoned by the false images, the false answers to questions,
in two dimensional stereotype, generality, and label.
"Ecco Homo": That exclamation should be as a wave washing over us, so
washing our spirit and attitude that it creates a whole new classroom culture.
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the
springs of life."
Make it a good day
-Louis-
Louis Schmier
http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org
203 E. Brookwood Pl http://www.therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta, Ga 31602
(C) 229-630-0821 /\ /\ /\ /\
/\
/^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__
/ \ / \
/ \/ \_ \/ / \/
/\/ / \ /\ \
//\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\/
\_/__\ \
/\"If you want to climb
mountains,\ /\
_ / \ don't practice on mole
hills" - / \_
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