As part of the Hibernia course this week we were asked to watch and reflect on a TED Talk by Adora Svitak. Adora was speaking about how the world, now more than ever, needs “childish” thinking: bold ideas, wild creativity and especially optimism. She says grownups’ need to be willing to learn from children as much as to teach.
Her speech resonated with me very much this week, and I have found myself thinking about it a lot. My mantra has always been that the student comes first and that my teaching is student-centred and led. No silly questions or stupid answers in my classes.
We as teachers have so much influence over students and we have been given the beautiful task of inspiring these young minds. To inspire means to listen; not dictate. Therefore, as Adora says, we need to learn from students. We need to put the totalitarian attitudes aside and realise that students have a lot to offer us as teachers. How can we claim to teach the leaders of the future if we do not lead in a way that encourages sharing opinions and listening?
Our students’ well-being is so important. We have a duty to instil a sense of collaboration, communication and managing oneself (as stated in the JCT Framework 2015). To do this effectively, we need to listen and encourage open-mindedness in the classroom.
Are schools killing off childish behaviour? I believe that this is up to the teachers to be leaders in their field and become agents of change. Embracing change and using evidence-based practices in the classroom; becoming reflective practitioners; effective in feedback to and from students and most importantly teaching with the student at the centre at all times. Schools will only kill off the student’s ability to be reflective and embrace their full potential if teachers are not encouraged and facilitated to become agents of change.
We, as teachers, have so much more responsibility now to be more than a note giver and homework pusher. We are the ones that encourage student voice, opinion and blue-sky thinking. Let us not be the ones who flatten the curve, but the ones who strive to teach the leaders of tomorrow.
