Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Knowing in Community
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Hidden Wholeness: Paradox in Teaching and Learning
I fully agree with Palmer on his idea to have a rich dialectic of solitude and community. I always felt the tension to keep a delicate balance between these two profound polarities of human life. I believe that in many ways my formation in the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) has helped me to grow in this aspect of balance though the tension remains and it will remain. But I have a choice either to make it creative or destructive. Many people ask me here whether I feel home sick. I always tell them that wherever I go and live, I try to make it as my home.
I believe that there is a greater need for today’s world to understand the concept of paradox as presented by Palmer. Everyone needs to realize that we are related to one another, and the cosmos through many different ways which need to be explored. I really like the message presented in James Cameroon’s movie, Avatar. We need to experience what Nabi people in Pandora experienced, though the movie is mythical.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Culture of Fear
I did not want this happen to my students whom I taught in Jamshedpur for two years. I really like the quotation of Palmer: The way we diagnose our student’s condition will determine the kind of remedy we offer. I taught mainly English to my non-English speaking students who considered English as a dreaded subject because they were not able to understand. So I was before joining the Jesuit order. Thank God, that my principal was very supportive of me and I was able to bring many changes among the students based on the cooperative learning. I changed the text books and used simple story books and songs. Students were divided into groups and every group has to teach the whole class. This instilled in them great confidence to come forward and speak before other students. As a net result, I conducted a session to the English teachers of Government schools on how to teach English to the non-English speaking students, in the presence of some of my students. I myself was amazed by seeing the learning and growth in my students within a year. It was a moment of grace for me and it was a proof that if I as an educator change, my students too will change.
As Palmer rightly points out that there is something wrong in our system of knowing and learning. We need to move from objective mode of learning to a heart of learning which is based on relationship, connectedness and community, where everyone can feel at home with oneself and with others. I greatly appreciate Barbara McClintock on her research on genetic transposition. She is a great role model for our need to change our education system.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Heart of a Teacher
A good teacher’s integrity is shown in joining self, subject and students in the fabric of life. This is true when I recall the lives of great teachers who have come into my life. I do agree with Palmer in his following quotation. the courage to teach is the courage to keep one’s heart open in those very moments when the heart is asked to hold more than it is able to so that teacher and students and subject can be woven into the fabric of community that learning, and living, require. Before coming to Berkeley, I worked for two years as a class teacher and assistant in-charge of a boarding which had about 275 boys. It was indeed a tough job for me as I was just fresh from my philosophical studies. I had to teach in the high school as a regular teacher during the day and rest of the time I had to take care of those boys. It was a 24x7 job. I had to do more than my heart could offer. But on the day of my farewell, I indeed felt that what I have received from students and boys is more than what I have given to them.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The Teacher's Calling
The journey of a teacher includes also known and unknown aspects of life. It is the unknown aspects which make a teacher’s life challenging and vulnerable. Happy is a teacher who passes through this journey and finds meaning in one’s life as well as helps others find meaning in their lives. In the film, lion king, the sage monkey helps Simba to acknowledge his true identity. During the journey of teaching, a teacher has to always strive to do the best and leave the rest to God as aptly said by Don Bosco. It is the genuine trust in God enables a teacher to find joy in the joy of students, and patience in failures and difficulties. I firmly believe that Jesus has truly given us his Spirit to guide us in our lives as teachers, as persons dedicated to the growth of our students.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Teaching Wisely and Morally
I got stuck by the words of Thomas Lickona that “virtue can be caught and taught.” I used to hold that values are caught and not taught. It made me to think at the responsibility of a teacher in guiding students to build an ethical behavior. It’s true that a teacher needs to be a role model for the students but it also a moral obligation for a teacher to create an ethically safe learning space or environment where students undergo a transformation during their stay in the school. Everyone will agree that it is the love and care provided by a teacher changes the minds and hearts of students who will cherish their rich memories throughout their lives.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Teaching Courageously and Creatively
The designing of positive environment in a school promotes and provokes creativity through imagination. The former president of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam was inspired to be an air force pilot when his high school teacher explained to him the aerodynamics of a bird. Though he could not be an air force pilot but his imagination and creativity led to him to be one of the greatest nuclear scientists of India. We know imagination can lead us to a greater level of life and make us do unbelievable things. Albert Einstein came up with his theory of relativity through his imagination. He imagined himself to be a light that traveled at 300000 km per second. Thus, the philosopher Maxime Greene claims that the role of imagination is to awaken, to disclose the ordinarily unseen, unheard, and unexpected. It is true for any of us who believes in the power of creative imagination.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
My Vocation as a Catholic Educator
I believe that my vocation to become a catholic educator is a call within a call. My thirteen years as a Jesuit and thirty-one years as a catholic student as well as a few years as an educator, has formed me to find greater joy and meaning in my life. So the call to become a catholic educator is part and parcel of my life. Thus I agree with Marianne Novak Houston’s comment “Teaching is a profound experience where my inner life and outer life can be mutually fed.” As a catholic educator, Jesus is my role model whose heart moved with pity when he saw people like sheep without shepherd. I consider that educating others involves becoming one with what I am called to do. Houston experienced “undivided wholeness” in her life as an educator. Inspired by this idea of “undivided wholeness” of Thomas Merton, I am drawn to be a catholic educator while upholding the Jesuit Characteristics of educating minds and hearts to create a better world with peace, joy, happiness and equality.
Have a grace-filled day
It is wonderful to be with you in this class on "spirituality of the educator." I am hoping to learn from you all.
thanks
Vinod