It is my hope that I will one day become a high school Language Arts educator. As a result, it is inevitable that my future students and I will be reading many novels, stories, and passages. Allusions to Greek and Roman myths, gods, and goddesses reign significant and prominent throughout many literary works. I plan to educate my future students on the significance of such myths so that they can fully grasp the meaning and far reaching implications of the stories we will be reading. In order to do this, it would fare well to do a brief unit on Greek/Roman Mythology (this is the topic on which I will focus this response). Whilst instructing them, I will make sure to keep in mind the many notions and dispositions of the authors we have covered in this ED100 course.
In To Teach: The Journey, in Comics, Bill Ayers stresses the importance of "building bridges" in education. He claims that this is a movement "toward broader horizons and deeper ways of knowing." What he means to suggest is that it is imperative to make connections between what students are interested in/what they already know, with what it is they are learning. Ayers wants us to build bridges from knowledge, to greater, deeper, fuller knowledge and understanding. In doing so, we as educators are ensuring a form of student engagement that cannot be guaranteed in the typical lecture/notes structure. So, in the example of my Greek Mythology lesson, I can begin the bridge building by starting with a look at Greek/Roman mythological presence in popular culture. For example, I could start by asking students if they wear Nike clothing; then ask if they know what Nike means; then explain that thousands of years ago when someone said Nike, they were talking about the Greek Goddess of Victory. This would serve as a springboard for a discussion of other cultural references, wherein I would offer a god, goddess, or character (i.e. Achilles) and we could work to establish how they have significance in today's everyday world (i.e. Achilles' heel). Another way in which I could build bridges is use an activity wherein students will try to match up present day celebrities with Greek gods and goddesses who's descriptions match similarly (i.e. Beyoncé and Aphrodite). Hopefully these activities will "bridge" the material pertinent to people thousands of years ago, to the interests of the students of today.
Simply talking about and analyzing the information with students will not be enough for me to teach effectively. I find it necessary that students take advantage of their learning, apply it to what is happening in the world around them, and use it to grow their understanding; closely reflecting the beliefs of renown educator Paulo Freire. In his analysis of "the banking concept of education" he offers an opposing education form that works to motivate students to make the world their own. he dubs this form "problem posing education." One of the things that Freire writes is that education is a "constant unveiling of reality." I feel as though this notion most accurately reflects the function a Greek mythology lesson. The information is not being taught because students will need to pass a test, or know it for a future job prospect. Rather, Greek mythology is taught so that students may more fully understand the plethora of literary allusions and references that we hold most dear today. Following the logic of Freire's argument, once students have been educated in a problem-posing/liberating way, they will be free to explore and understand the world around them in their own perspective, through the lens of their new-found education. As far as problem-posing education goes, I am not sure how many issues are currently facing the world regarding Greek mythology. Regardless, I will work closely with students to examine possible issues today that connect closely with the stories we will read (i.e.Narcissus and Echo).
In her work Stir-and-Serve Recipes for Teaching, Susan Ohanian stresses the importance of recognizing teaching as an art form. She writes, very passionately, that "the profession requires more than a spontaneous overflow of good intentions or the simple cataloging and distribution of information." Her apparent call to originality is something I will hold close as I instruct students. While it may be easier to draw lesson plans from other educators, I ultimately have a responsibility within the field to be a creative lesson planner. So in the example of a proposed Greek mythology lesson, I will personally create, or stylistically change my activities to follow the reading and discussion of the myths/bios of gods/goddesses. I would have made sure to do so in the way in which I build brides at the start of the lesson as well. I will also, in accordance with Ohanian's call to action, be open to the changing environment of the classroom. As many stories and notions are up to many different interpretations, I will anticipate the diversity of understanding,as well as many other possible twists and turns within the lesson.
One disposition that I will aim to hold close to always is the notion that the best teachers are enthusiastic about the content they are teaching. This concept, as well as many others are explored in Robert DiGiulio's piece about great teachers. He writes that there are nine great qualities of excellent teachers. Enthusiasm for teaching the subject matter is inseparable from teaching the subject matter well. DiGiulio writes that all of the most memorable teachers had an enthusiasm about them that allowed their students to "'pick up on their excitement' for the subject." Is that not the measure of a successful teacher? To have students remember them, and by extent their class because of the enthusiasm demonstrated by the instructor? I would say so. I intend to be enthusiastic always in the classroom, regardless of whether or not I am teaching Greek mythology or other matters. Keeping a positive attitude when working on things that are not so exciting (i.e. reading the actual myths) will be a powerful tool in my effective teaching tool box.
Another characteristic that DiGiulio discusses in his piece, going hand in hand with enthusiasm, is "having a solid command of the subject matter" being taught in the classroom. He asks us to consider whether an effective teacher must be an expert in their subject area. Certainly, I would agree, that in some respects of education a teacher must be an expert. Now, this does not imply that teachers must be living breathing encyclopedias of knowledge to be used at the leisure of the students. Rather, the teacher should know enough to answer the questions of students, or direct students to the correct means through which they may obtain an answer. In my classroom I will make a point of being knowledgeable about the material. For example, using the mythology lesson, I will research the historical context of the myths, and current interpretations of the myths so that I may be able to better guide students to complete understanding. I know full well that I will not become a mythological expert, but I hope to harbor a wealth of information to share with the students.
Finally, after all has been taught, I will be self-critical of the work I have done; a notion that Bill Ayers discusses in To Teach: The Journey, in Comics. Ayers writes that self-criticism is necessary for "renewal and growth." In other words, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of your teaching. Certainly I can emulate the proposed style outlined above, but if I never sit down and assess what is working and what is not, I will never grow, change, and perfect my style as a teacher. So, looking at the Greek lesson, did I teach every item fully? Wholly? Which activities worked? Perhaps I spent too much time on Achilles. Maybe Achilles is not necessary. Asking these questions of myself is what stimulates self-criticism. Without practicing this disposition, I can ensure that I will never achieve the success of a great teacher.
In his 2014 Oscar acceptance speech for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McConaughey explained that his hero is himself in ten years; that way he always has someone to chase after. He perpetually works to become a person he knows he can never be, for ten years later his hero will still be ten years away. I like to think in these terms when considering myself as a teacher. My perfect teaching style is out there. It is just years away. I will work constantly to achieve the status of a great teacher, knowing full well that the best is still to come. What makes a great teacher in my opinion? Well certainly it is one who effectively implements the ideals of Ayers, Freire, Ohanian, and DiGiulio as discussed above, but it is also someone that is constantly challenging and changing what it is about using those ideals that makes teaching great. A great teacher understands that there is a better form of their teaching somewhere down the line; whether it be in ten years, or ten minutes. Understanding great teaching can seem like understanding Greek. Unlike Greek, however, and luck for us, there are a number of different ways to interpret exactly how one can be a great teacher.
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