As tensions grow at work, as rumors seep from room to room, and as pressure drowns out creativity, it is easy to succumb to the horned beast. Tonight I followed a breadcrumb trail of internet links to some very inspiring videos. First, by recommendation, I watched this video:
Sir Ken Robinson is very entertaining and makes several valid points on the faults and future of the modern education system. I appreciated the video so much that I watched another of his that appears first in the sidebar of the TED Talks website. This is the second time in two weeks that I have been intrigued by a TED Talk (but that is a whole other post!)
I find my chosen profession to be very constraining at times. Some of my fellow university students, past mentors, and current colleagues have been successful at bending or even breaking down the walls that I feel held captive by. I feel that I am an OK teacher at times. I know that I am still new at this, but someday I want to be better. I want to do MORE.
I am reminded of a fantastic movie I watched in an education class in college. I did a quick Google search on what I thought the title might be, but it was made much before the digital age. I think I will e-mail my professor in order to get the info. Anyway, the video discussed creativity killers. It sought to identify ways that teachers knowingly, or many times unknowingly stamp out the creativity of their young students.
I hope and pray that I am not, and will not become, that very teacher. I know what it takes to be fantastic. It's just that it is so easy to get tired, to succumb to the stress, to settle with mediocrity in my lessons. These are all merely excuses. I feel that I am ripping off a touching quote, but I honestly can't remember where I heard "Are students learning because of, or inspite of me?" Ahhhh it just kills me! I don't want to be the "inspite of" teacher.
Wowzers this post is getting loooong. Anywho, the third video I watched was this one:
Jane Goodall has fascinated me since I was very young. I honestly remember researching and wanting to go to Central Washington University so that I could participate in primate studies in this program. I thought I would teach sign language to them haha! (There was also a time when Frank Lloyd Wright inspired me to be an architect.) I was very pleased to see that Jane is still alive and well. She is still working to understand and improve upon our planet for future generations.
In the video, Jane discusses her Roots and Shoots program. I have not looked at the website yet, but the way she talked about it made me want to get involved. Some of her efforts remind me of Kiva. It is a global microfinance program that "enables enterprising workers to start a business to achieve financial independence." The loans are established with a mere $25! I have already made it a personal goal to complete five of these loans in less than three years. I am also now interested in looking into the Roots and Shoots program.
There is a constant battle waging. From watching tonights' TED videos, to hearing about my cousin Lucinda's upcoming 11 month mission trip, the devil's shouts are temporarily being drowned out by the angel's song. I believe that if I continue to spend time seeking out inspiration, find ways that I can help others, and start putting some of these ideas into action, I will become the teacher and person that I desire to be.
I hope that you had time to check out some of the link-tastic-ness in this post. Maybe in the future, each of these topics that is near and dear to my heart, can become it's own post.
While I was writing, I thought of this song:
Like the rest of this post, this might be a pretty cheesy. It was one of the songs that my sister and I used to belt out when we were younger, and will always hold a special place in my heart. I love you Cassey!
It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. ~Frederick Douglass
