The difference between “teaching” and “preaching”
To me, teaching should be “self-directing” a student. In other words, a teacher is there, but doesn’t interfere with everything; students are allowed to do what they want to do (in our case, we are allowed to put poetry and anything else we’re interested in on our blogs - that’s what allowed me to write my posts on education). Teachers should be there to make sure the students are on the right track and to help them out if there are any problems - like when students meet failure or other obstacles on their journey.
Preaching is what most teachers do today. We sit in classrooms for a certain amount of time listening to the “Teacher’s Bible of Study,” devouring information. Projects are limited to be viewed only by the class, and occasionally meet the hallway display.
I guess that we all agree on the fact that we would never have read Shakespeare if it weren’t for AP Literature. However, I think it’s only our generation who wouldn’t read Shakespeare without a teacher threatening us with a grade book. We can’t learn for ourselves and choose appropriate studies because we always had the teacher by our side to tell us what to do. We’re toddlers that are still refusing to take that third wheel off our bicycles.
If we were left to do what we wanted to do, “learners” who are mature enough will self-guide themselves to read the greatest plays ever written. If we are left alone with responsibilities, young adults will start taking them seriously.
All we need is that first step. Schools are afraid to do something new. The school system is afraid to fail.
It is similar to when you leave home for the first time. You are pushed out of your comfort zone, and you’re the one that has to take responsibility for yourself: you need to pay the bills, you need to do your laundry. At first you stumble, and fail to pay some bills and the house may stink of undone laundry, but after a while, you pick yourself up and start taking responsibility. Maybe it’s not too early to give some of the responsibility to young adults to guide themselves to what they want to learn. We’re not animals; we won’t break out of the “bars” of school like wild beasts freed from a zoo.
Just give us a chance.
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