Do what you must do!

Last week I was re-reading snippets from a book I came across a few years back called “The Game of School: Why We All Play It, How It Hurts Kids and What It Will Take to Change It” by Robert Fried. This book contains much food for thought for educators, including those working in post-compulsory education. Fried likens education to a “game: that is played by students, perpetuated by teachers, condoned by parents, endorsed by principals and legislated by governments where students’ natural curiosity and desire to learn are replaced with a frantic rush (or a compliant shrug) to “do the work”, “please the teacher”, and “get the grades”.

In one chapter though my attention was drawn to some thoughts that I think all educators and those that work in support roles to educators can find encouraging. Fried would suggest that you must “do what you must do” in your respective role but advocates for you to:

…never lose the twinkle in your eye, the lightness of your step, the sense of humour that rides in tandem with your sense of purpose…

…never lose the fierceness of your commitment to quality, or your pride in excellence of performance, or the fires of your aversion to mediocrity and the passive compliance with the Game…

…never lose your sensitivity to your students as people who are striving to make sense of the world, who are buffeted by the powerful and contradictory influences on their lives, who may well be more drawn to subjects other than yours, to ways of being and becoming in which your academic discipline may connect obliquely, if at all…

… and hold on to the resolve that you and your students are destined to do great things together.

Fried suggests that passionate teaching and authentic learning are not dependent on only one pedagogical approach - they are not beholden to a narrow theoretical view of education - but they do require that we adopt a stance that supports our students, emotionally and intellectually, as we invite them to become partners in learning endeavours. 

Another take-away thought from Fried’s book is that we may not be able to identify with our students sometimes (their music, lifestyles or social mannerisms belong to their generation) but we can accomplish much when we respect the quality of their minds and hearts – despite the “bad habits” and “distorted horizons” with which prior educational experiences may have left them to date,

May you be encouraged - and be encouraging – as you “do what you must do” this week!