I believe that teaching is a great adventure. We come across so many students, and go through new experiences and thus our whole life is changed, in the process we also change the lives of many of our students. Teaching has great impact in our students. In order to have that influence we also need to create that kind of community where in everyone feels at home. I agree with Palmer where he says that “community, or connectedness is the principle behind good teaching, but different teachers with different gifts create community in surprisingly diverse ways, using widely diverse methods,” (Palmer, P. 115).
Understanding the minds and interests of the students are important part of teaching. I have experienced in my own life that I have learnt a lot in life in some subjects and not so in another because some were not very interesting for me. The teacher came to the class regularly gave lectures and went back. There was no interaction of any kind. There was not give and take relationship at all. The community of learning was not created at all. I also remember another teacher who was so friendly with everyone in the class. We had daily sharing, discussion, and lot of interactions. These activities made all of us very comfortable in the class. We all learnt together. Passion for that particular subject really propelled us. I believe that it is very important for all teachers to prepare a space for learning. So that every student enjoys the activity in the class and thus good learning takes place in the school. As good community helps us to become good human beings so also good community atmosphere in the school is an aid in good learning.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
KNOWING IN COMMUNITY (CH. 4)
Community life is one of the important aspects of Jesuit life. It helps us to remain connected to each other and at the same help us to grow together as members of the same Society. Community plays vital role in teaching and learning as well. “Community cannot take root in a divided life; only as we are in communion with ourselves can we find community with others. I firmly believe that to teach is to create a space in which the community of truth is practiced,” (Palmer, P. 90). Palmer says that we need the therapeutic, civic and marketing models on the kind of community that education requires (P. 90). I do agree with his propositions.
Truth plays very important role in the community. Palmer says that truth is an eternal conversation about things that matter, conducted with passion and discipline (P.104). Knowledge we possess is truly the result of the outcome of community. We can never say that I got knowledge in isolation. There is always direct or indirect influence of the community in each one of us. According to our Christian belief we say that what happens in life is because of God’s plan. So also knowing, teaching and learning are grounded in sacred soil. We all need to nurture and nourish our vocation as teacher in order to cultivate the sense of the sacred as exclaims Palmer. Once we are able to see the sacred then it becomes easier to see goodness in everything around us, in persons (students) and whole surroundings. Where there is experience of sacred there is experience of God too. How wonderful it would be if every teacher experiences that in his or her life!
Truth plays very important role in the community. Palmer says that truth is an eternal conversation about things that matter, conducted with passion and discipline (P.104). Knowledge we possess is truly the result of the outcome of community. We can never say that I got knowledge in isolation. There is always direct or indirect influence of the community in each one of us. According to our Christian belief we say that what happens in life is because of God’s plan. So also knowing, teaching and learning are grounded in sacred soil. We all need to nurture and nourish our vocation as teacher in order to cultivate the sense of the sacred as exclaims Palmer. Once we are able to see the sacred then it becomes easier to see goodness in everything around us, in persons (students) and whole surroundings. Where there is experience of sacred there is experience of God too. How wonderful it would be if every teacher experiences that in his or her life!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Paradox in Teaching and Learning (Ch. 3)
One of the philosophers of 19th century has said that life is a paradox. We experience the pull of different forces always. We often go through the feeling of a need for the community at the same time solitude. We as social beings are created for relationship. I am very much amazed by the paradoxes presented by Palmer regarding the world of education which is filled with broken paradoxes-and with lifeless results: separation of head from heart; facts from feeling; theory from practice; and teaching from learning (Palmer, P. 66). I have gone through different paradoxes in my own life as a student. I remember the teacher who was so strict in my class. There was not a single glimpse of smile on his face ever in the class room. Everyone was frightened of him. He used to be so cruel that he used to give the corporal punishment to the students in the class when someone could not give the right answer. He was a teacher who had great head but small heart. He behaved as if he was the superman and others (students) were like guiniepigs. He never took into consideration the feelings of the students. Many were afraid to ask questions because he was not welcoming. Finding fault was his only desire. There was no discussion or any kind of group activity in the class. Learning was a hell.
For any good teaching and learning we need proper space which should be bounded and open; hospitable ad charged; invitation of the voice of the individual and the group; honoring “little” and “big” stories of the students; support of solitude and community and welcoming both silence and speech (Palmer, P. 74). I give another example of my great Guru (teacher) who made use of all these above mentioned points in the teaching-learning system. I tell you the fact not even a single student in the class was left out. Every one of us learned together, enjoying the companionship of each other. There was real feeling of deep relationship, connectedness among us all. The genuine community was established. We as teacher need to have open heart and mind in order to see the richness of our students and share our richness with them then only true grow of our students is possible. In order to transform our students, we need to transform ourselves first.
For any good teaching and learning we need proper space which should be bounded and open; hospitable ad charged; invitation of the voice of the individual and the group; honoring “little” and “big” stories of the students; support of solitude and community and welcoming both silence and speech (Palmer, P. 74). I give another example of my great Guru (teacher) who made use of all these above mentioned points in the teaching-learning system. I tell you the fact not even a single student in the class was left out. Every one of us learned together, enjoying the companionship of each other. There was real feeling of deep relationship, connectedness among us all. The genuine community was established. We as teacher need to have open heart and mind in order to see the richness of our students and share our richness with them then only true grow of our students is possible. In order to transform our students, we need to transform ourselves first.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A Culture of Fear: Education and the Disconnected Life
Fear! What is fear? Don’t you fear? Why do you fear? These are some of the questions that we face in our day to day life as we grow. Can any of you give me an example of a person who does not have fear in his or her life of some sort? I think no one in the world is ever free from FEAR. There is always some kind of fear in everyone’s life. You may accept it or may not but it is the fact. In my own personal life, I have experienced tremendous amount of fear sometimes. I was afraid of failing as student, misunderstanding, ignorance, hell etcetera. I agree with Palmer when she says, “Fear is what distances us from our colleagues, our students, our subjects, ourselves. Fear shuts down those “experiments with truth” that allow us to weave a wider web of connectedness-and shuts down our capacity to teach well,” (Palmer, P. 36). In a sense fear is disconnectedness.
The negative aspects of fear can ruin our life but the positive ones can really build it. I know one of my friends who was very much afraid of appearing for the final board examination in his 10th grade because it is considered to be the toughest one by many people. He appeared for it but failed. So he never wrote it again, as a result he could never proceed in his studies. The negative impact of fear ever remained in his heart. If he had tried again surely, he could have succeeded. I remember for the same examination, I too had a tremendous fear in my heart. Because of fear of failing I studied systematically very hard and as a result I achieved very good result. Fear assisted me to come out with flying colors. As I am adult now, I do experience so many types of fears such as, uncertainties in life, future ministry as Jesuit, of how to complete my theological studies, and so forth. I have realized that positive attitudes towards any type of fear lead us to constructive result. We must not be defeated by fear but win over it. Jesus says in the Gospels, “Do not be afraid, I am always with you till the end of time.” Relying on His providence and kindness, we all need to make our journeys in the unknown horizon of life.
The negative aspects of fear can ruin our life but the positive ones can really build it. I know one of my friends who was very much afraid of appearing for the final board examination in his 10th grade because it is considered to be the toughest one by many people. He appeared for it but failed. So he never wrote it again, as a result he could never proceed in his studies. The negative impact of fear ever remained in his heart. If he had tried again surely, he could have succeeded. I remember for the same examination, I too had a tremendous fear in my heart. Because of fear of failing I studied systematically very hard and as a result I achieved very good result. Fear assisted me to come out with flying colors. As I am adult now, I do experience so many types of fears such as, uncertainties in life, future ministry as Jesuit, of how to complete my theological studies, and so forth. I have realized that positive attitudes towards any type of fear lead us to constructive result. We must not be defeated by fear but win over it. Jesus says in the Gospels, “Do not be afraid, I am always with you till the end of time.” Relying on His providence and kindness, we all need to make our journeys in the unknown horizon of life.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Heart of a Teacher
I as Christian believe that God is the one who has sent me into this world with a specific mission. As a Jesuit I am a missionary, would be priest, prophet and a teacher. “We teach who we are,” (Palmer). I agree with this statement. I have experienced in my own life that often directly or indirectly I have projected myself to my students. The values like sincerity, cooperation, discipline, generosity, hard work, are my own projections to my students. As someone has said that “We can give only what we have,” so it is true in our teaching activity as well. The richness of treasures that we have within ourselves is dispensed when we willingly and readily share that with others especially with our students. Socrates has said, “Know thyself.” It is very important that we know our strengths and weaknesses before we impart our knowledge to others so that we may be able to bring in transformations in our students and in the society at large.
“Encounter with mentors and subjects can awaken a sense of self and yield clues to who we are. Any authentic call ultimately comes from the voice of the teacher within, the voice that invites me to honor the nature of my true self,” (Palmer, P. 29). Vocation is a call by God Himself. We need to nurture it as we go along in our life journey. We often realize what we are called to be in our life and accordingly we work in order to achieve that purpose. When we are able to see the longing of our inner heart (the teacher within), it becomes easier for us to discern what type of mission we are sent to accomplish. I think we need to be attuned to the Calling of the Spirit in our heart.
“Encounter with mentors and subjects can awaken a sense of self and yield clues to who we are. Any authentic call ultimately comes from the voice of the teacher within, the voice that invites me to honor the nature of my true self,” (Palmer, P. 29). Vocation is a call by God Himself. We need to nurture it as we go along in our life journey. We often realize what we are called to be in our life and accordingly we work in order to achieve that purpose. When we are able to see the longing of our inner heart (the teacher within), it becomes easier for us to discern what type of mission we are sent to accomplish. I think we need to be attuned to the Calling of the Spirit in our heart.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
FACING THE UNFAMILIAR AND TEACHING AS JOURNEYING (CH.6&7)
Facing the Unfamiliar (Ch.6)
We never know for sure what is to come in future. Always relying on God’s providence we move forward in our life. God is our everything who knows what is appropriate for us in a given time. Jesus says in the Bible that God the Father takes care of the lilies in the field and birds of the air in the sky so we should not be worried about in life because He is the giver of life. When I was teaching in the school I realized that every year I faced a new group of students in my class who were completely unfamiliar to me. It took quite some time for me to understand their whole intellectual, emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects of life in order for me to deal with them in a suitable manner. My personal discipline was a great strength for me which helped to come out with new and innovative and creative ideas in my teaching. My students liked me very much at the same time I was also criticized sometimes because I was too demanding in the class. Whenever I had any kind of problem I always examined myself and tries to see what was wrong. I always found the answer because I was ready to change myself. We need to realize our own strength and weakness and this can help us to be better and effective teacher in our life. If we want to change the world we have to change our self first.
Teaching as Journeying (Ch.7)
Life is a journey for some and an adventure for the other. I do agree with Durka when she says that “The journey of life is full of surprises.” I am proud to share my experience with my most influential teacher when I was a studying in Lower Primary school. As Durka says that vocation is both an inner and outer journey, I had the same experience in my own teacher. Ms Ignacia was the most loving teacher. I found in her certain qualities such as compassion, integrity, dedication, empathy, truthfulness, attentiveness, love, generosity and understanding. She was able to reach out to the need of every one of us in the class. I fondly remember when she asked us one day in the class, “What do you want to become in life?” Many of my friends responded to her saying that they would like to become doctor, engineer, teacher or a nun. My response to her was that I would like to become a priest. Her action influenced me very much and as I grew in age my desire for priesthood became stronger. I am what I am today is because of her great contribution in my life. We can surely be able to transform the lives of our students and others though our own good deeds and kind words.
We never know for sure what is to come in future. Always relying on God’s providence we move forward in our life. God is our everything who knows what is appropriate for us in a given time. Jesus says in the Bible that God the Father takes care of the lilies in the field and birds of the air in the sky so we should not be worried about in life because He is the giver of life. When I was teaching in the school I realized that every year I faced a new group of students in my class who were completely unfamiliar to me. It took quite some time for me to understand their whole intellectual, emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects of life in order for me to deal with them in a suitable manner. My personal discipline was a great strength for me which helped to come out with new and innovative and creative ideas in my teaching. My students liked me very much at the same time I was also criticized sometimes because I was too demanding in the class. Whenever I had any kind of problem I always examined myself and tries to see what was wrong. I always found the answer because I was ready to change myself. We need to realize our own strength and weakness and this can help us to be better and effective teacher in our life. If we want to change the world we have to change our self first.
Teaching as Journeying (Ch.7)
Life is a journey for some and an adventure for the other. I do agree with Durka when she says that “The journey of life is full of surprises.” I am proud to share my experience with my most influential teacher when I was a studying in Lower Primary school. As Durka says that vocation is both an inner and outer journey, I had the same experience in my own teacher. Ms Ignacia was the most loving teacher. I found in her certain qualities such as compassion, integrity, dedication, empathy, truthfulness, attentiveness, love, generosity and understanding. She was able to reach out to the need of every one of us in the class. I fondly remember when she asked us one day in the class, “What do you want to become in life?” Many of my friends responded to her saying that they would like to become doctor, engineer, teacher or a nun. My response to her was that I would like to become a priest. Her action influenced me very much and as I grew in age my desire for priesthood became stronger. I am what I am today is because of her great contribution in my life. We can surely be able to transform the lives of our students and others though our own good deeds and kind words.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Making Space and Spirituality and Caring ( Ch. 4&5)
Making Space for Knowing (Chapter- 4)
India is a mosaic of different cultures, religions, castes, and classes with unimaginable pluralism and diversity at every level, making it the most complex nation in the world. In order to understand the social system of India, it is important to know the caste system as well. There are four different levels of the system: Brahman (Priest), Kshatriya (Ruler, Warrior, and Land owner), Vaishya (Merchants) and Shudra (Artisans, Agriculturalist). There are other groups of people who do not belong to any caste such as Schedule tribe and Schedule caste. Loyola school has KG to 12th grade. The statistics of the school is like this: there are 6 Jesuits, 2 sisters, 11 lay Catholic teachers, 48 other teachers, 54 Catholic students and 2096 other students(Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and others), so there are total 2150 members in this Jesuit run school. All are welcome in this school without any discrimination of any sort. Our hands are always wide open to receive whoever comes to the school for admission. The attitude of hospitality is reflected not only in our admitting to the students of various castes and classes but also in the dealing of the teachers in the class rooms. There are lots of cooperative learning, sharing of resources and openness from the teachers’ side and the students as well. Boundaries of teaching and learning are maintained in the school. As catholic educators we need to have balanced views in our approach towards whole education system considering openness, boundaries and hospitality.
Spirituality and Caring (Chapter- 5)
God is especially revealed in the mystery of the human person, "created in the image and likeness of God"; Loyola school, therefore, probes the meaning of human life and is concerned with the total formation of each student as an individual personally loved by God. The objective of Jesuit education is to assist in the fullest possible development of all of the God-given talents of each individual person as a member of the human community. Since the truly human is found only in relationships with others that include attitudes of respect, love, and service, Loyola school stresses - and assists in developing - the role of each individual as a member of the human community. Students, teachers, and all members of the educational community are encouraged to build a solidarity with others that transcends race, culture or religion. Thus we all grow together caring for each other.
India is a mosaic of different cultures, religions, castes, and classes with unimaginable pluralism and diversity at every level, making it the most complex nation in the world. In order to understand the social system of India, it is important to know the caste system as well. There are four different levels of the system: Brahman (Priest), Kshatriya (Ruler, Warrior, and Land owner), Vaishya (Merchants) and Shudra (Artisans, Agriculturalist). There are other groups of people who do not belong to any caste such as Schedule tribe and Schedule caste. Loyola school has KG to 12th grade. The statistics of the school is like this: there are 6 Jesuits, 2 sisters, 11 lay Catholic teachers, 48 other teachers, 54 Catholic students and 2096 other students(Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and others), so there are total 2150 members in this Jesuit run school. All are welcome in this school without any discrimination of any sort. Our hands are always wide open to receive whoever comes to the school for admission. The attitude of hospitality is reflected not only in our admitting to the students of various castes and classes but also in the dealing of the teachers in the class rooms. There are lots of cooperative learning, sharing of resources and openness from the teachers’ side and the students as well. Boundaries of teaching and learning are maintained in the school. As catholic educators we need to have balanced views in our approach towards whole education system considering openness, boundaries and hospitality.
Spirituality and Caring (Chapter- 5)
God is especially revealed in the mystery of the human person, "created in the image and likeness of God"; Loyola school, therefore, probes the meaning of human life and is concerned with the total formation of each student as an individual personally loved by God. The objective of Jesuit education is to assist in the fullest possible development of all of the God-given talents of each individual person as a member of the human community. Since the truly human is found only in relationships with others that include attitudes of respect, love, and service, Loyola school stresses - and assists in developing - the role of each individual as a member of the human community. Students, teachers, and all members of the educational community are encouraged to build a solidarity with others that transcends race, culture or religion. Thus we all grow together caring for each other.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Passion and Imagination (Chapters 2-3)
Human beings are gifted with enormous faculties such as knowledge, feeling, volition, passion etcetera. I was very much inspired by the term “Passion” which means “power of possibility” according to Durka. In order to be a successful and happy human being all of us need to have this great quality. As a teacher I have realized how much important it is to be passionate in my own mission as an educator. If there is no passion there is no life in teaching at all; everything becomes boring; students do not enjoy the classes as the result there is no learning possible. I had won the hearts and minds of my students in the school only because of my great strength e.i. passion. I was able to make my classes interesting and fun-filled, I was lively so also the students. There was mutual learning from both sides. Learning became a fun not a burden. We all need to have passion in our mission as a good educator.
The catchy word for me when I was reading the third chapter was “Imagination.” I very much appreciate Frye when he says, “The fundamental job of the imagination in ordinary life is to produce out of the society we all have to live in a vision of the society we all want to live in.” I firmly believe that the result of new invention or discovery is the fruit of imagination. We all need to be thankful to God for this greatest faculty. Our imagination makes the world better, happier and healthier to live in. It is a great need to inculcate this value of imagining in our students today. Where there is imagination there is creativity. When I was teaching, I used to ask my students to imagine different things possible and impossible. The results of their imaginations were often surprising and rewarding too. I know many of my students have been successful in their lives today because they were not afraid of imagining high ideals. It is the responsibility of a good teacher to cultivate the quality of imagination.
The catchy word for me when I was reading the third chapter was “Imagination.” I very much appreciate Frye when he says, “The fundamental job of the imagination in ordinary life is to produce out of the society we all have to live in a vision of the society we all want to live in.” I firmly believe that the result of new invention or discovery is the fruit of imagination. We all need to be thankful to God for this greatest faculty. Our imagination makes the world better, happier and healthier to live in. It is a great need to inculcate this value of imagining in our students today. Where there is imagination there is creativity. When I was teaching, I used to ask my students to imagine different things possible and impossible. The results of their imaginations were often surprising and rewarding too. I know many of my students have been successful in their lives today because they were not afraid of imagining high ideals. It is the responsibility of a good teacher to cultivate the quality of imagination.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
My Vocation as a Catholic (Jesuit ) Educator
I firmly believe that to be an educator is the vocation from God Himself. In the Bible God says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you,” (Jeremiah 1:5). Being a Jesuit I feel all the more of my special call. Some of the aspects of my vocation as a Jesuit educator are:
1. Commitment to the human excellence, to the fullest possible development of all human qualities. It is a call to critical thinking and disciplined studies, a call to develop the whole person, head and heart, intellect and feelings of the learners.
2. Incorporating systematically methods from a variety of sources which better contribute to the intellectual, social, moral, and religious formation of the whole person.
3. Presenting academic subjects out of a human "centeredness", with stress on uncovering and exploring the patterns, relationships, facts, questions, insights, conclusions, problems, solutions, and implications which a particular discipline bringing to light about what it means to be a human being.
4. Striving to give learners ongoing development of their imagination, feelings, conscience and intellect, and to encourage and help them recognize new experiences as opportunities to further growth. Learners see service to others as more self-fulfilling than personal success or prosperity.
Finally, as a Jesuit educator my goal is to move the learning experience of the learners beyond rote knowledge to the development of the more complex learning skills of understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
1. Commitment to the human excellence, to the fullest possible development of all human qualities. It is a call to critical thinking and disciplined studies, a call to develop the whole person, head and heart, intellect and feelings of the learners.
2. Incorporating systematically methods from a variety of sources which better contribute to the intellectual, social, moral, and religious formation of the whole person.
3. Presenting academic subjects out of a human "centeredness", with stress on uncovering and exploring the patterns, relationships, facts, questions, insights, conclusions, problems, solutions, and implications which a particular discipline bringing to light about what it means to be a human being.
4. Striving to give learners ongoing development of their imagination, feelings, conscience and intellect, and to encourage and help them recognize new experiences as opportunities to further growth. Learners see service to others as more self-fulfilling than personal success or prosperity.
Finally, as a Jesuit educator my goal is to move the learning experience of the learners beyond rote knowledge to the development of the more complex learning skills of understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
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