Illuminating imaginations

"There are two ways of spreading light;
be the candle or the mirror that reflects it"
- Edith Wharton

Being a teacher is the centre of my professional life.

I have adapted theories of learning to my practice, specifically transformative learning and social constructivism, because I believe these processes empower my students.

I have developed courses around theories of learning, specifically inquiry-based learning, because I trust that, given the appropriate environment and encouragement, my students will take control of their own learning.

But above all, I have tried in my practice to be a model for my students, a model of the academic ideals I endeavour to convey to them, because I will not ask of my students anything that I would not demand of myself.

Do not perform as a teacher.

Be a teacher.

If, indeed, I as teacher have been a mirror in the classroom, the light from the imaginations of my students will illuminate the world.

End is in Sight

My students are running on fumes right now. I can see it in their body language and in their loss of responsiveness in class. And who can blame them?

They are being crushed under the weight of final essays, projects, seminars, assignments. Yes, many of them have procrastinated and time is now catching up to them. But many more are managing two or more jobs while still in school.

University is no longer the primary occupation of post-secondary students, as it was in my undergraduate career. University is now one more timed event that one must fit into a very busy life that is often governed by several part-time jobs.

Courage to share

I recently had the pleasure of witnessing a transformation in one of my classes. Before my very eyes, the students had morphed into a community of scholars, argumentative yet respectful of each other's ideas, engaged with the material yet still open to being persuaded to re-think their own views. They shared arguments they had made in a recent assignment, they referenced readings from a class given last semester, they called on knowledge acquired in related courses.

It was magic. What transformed this group, I believe, was trust -- trust in each other and in the learning space they had created for themselves, trust in the process of a truly student-centered education. Most importantly, I saw students trust themselves enough to take intellectual risks. It is a remarkable little community of scholars that has coalesced out of 24 random enrolments.

I cannot imagine a better way to spend my life than sharing ideas and debating with my students.

I cannot imagine a more powerful moment than when I slip so easily out of the role of teacher into the role of learner as my students share their lives, thoughts and passions with me, and graciously allow me to share mine with them.

Retirement beckons a short five years hence.

And I cannot imagine that first day of retirement ... without my students.