GUEST BLOG: Blossoming Students
In response to the theme: Flowers
Broadcast Sunday 2nd May 2021, The Drive on Voice Ed Radio
By: Lise Farquhar, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
When I tuned in – a bit late, but actually quite early at 5:05am my time – to The Drive on Voice Ed Radio on Monday 3rd May 2021, I caught Chey in the midst of a personal anecdote. He was talking about how a moment had unfolded in his classroom. As he told the story he paused and corrected himself, mid-sentence, conscientiously switching his language from ‘My’ students to ‘The’ students. As often happens when listening in on Voice Ed Radio, my head filled with questions. Why did Chey feel he needed to adjust his language? Where did this stem from? Is it a recent adjustment he is making in response to criticism or something longer standing? In 1999, when I did my teacher training in Ontario, Canada, I was so surprised to discover that a law course was on my timetable. Being told to watch what you do and what you say because you may get yourself into trouble was really quite disturbing to me. I took it seriously though. The occasional debates that erupted in the lecture hall shocked me. So much of it eroded my faith in the system and the autonomy teachers really need to do their job well, and the love they need to bring to the role. How had we arrived at a place where the position of your desk, a closed door, embracing a child, was something we had to be consciously mindful of at every moment?
The topic of The Drive on this day was ‘Flowers’. Such a perfect symbol of our students within our education system. They are so fragile. They need nurturing. Too much of one thing, not enough of another can have extreme adverse effects. But one thing I think all children need in order to learn is a sense of belonging. Ilene Winokur AlZaid asks the guests on her podcast, when you hear the word belonging, what are the first things that come to mind? Well, I think as a teacher, and someone who feels they are a student of life, if I hear someone say ‘My’ students, ‘My’ staff, ‘My’ peers, it instills a sense of belonging, not dominance. If I am one of the people included in that ‘My’, it makes me feel seen, valued and want to be a part of that something that is bigger than myself. When I see a student spontaneously embrace their teacher and instead of reciprocating the teachers raises their hands in the air with a fearful expression on their face to show they have done nothing to illicit this act of incrimination, it breaks my heart. They are in fact responsible for the actions of that child and they should feel elated to be so valued. Return the embrace. Reciprocate. Children of any age should always be referred to by their teachers as ‘My’ students if we truly want them to blossom.
Lise Farquhar is an international educator with 20+ years of experience across 4 continents. She is currently a visual arts specialist subject teacher with a transdisciplinary approach to learning. Recently she has embraced podcast and live cast listening as a form of self-directed professional and personal development.
Connect with Lise on Twitter:
@L_Farquhar_IB
