This weeks reading was a great follow up to the Frank McCourt mini documentary. By that I mean that both the writers and Frank brush on the topic of becoming a reflexive teacher in the modern age. A teacher that is flexible and adaptable and can adjust to "cope effectively with changing circumstances"(Grant & Zeichner, 1984, pg. 107). Obviously this is invaluable in a teacher, or perhaps I should say obvious to some. I hear too often from students and even teachers speaking on other teachers, that some get stuck in their ways and refuse to change, no matter how many years and classrooms pass them by. And make no mistake neither speak favourably about the type of environment and lessons they produce. In the article they stress that becoming a "reflective teacher is a continual process of growth" (Grant & Zeichner, 1984, pg. 111, and that the onus is on us to develop and nurture this skill.
Grant and Zeichner go over what attributes to a reflexive teacher and they highlight 3 qualities in particular: open mindedness, responsibility, and wholeheartedness. Open to new ideas and possibilities, being responsible for our own actions and their possible consequences, and whole heartedly dedicated and committed to teachings all students. Zeichner and Grant feel that honing these qualities as a teacher, will implore students to want to learn. As people change so to then should our teaching strategies change to meet the new growing minds of tomorrow. I think this is sound advice, no matter what the time period is, whether this is a classroom in ancient Greece or a modern classroom today. A teacher shouldn't force a student to bend to their thinking, but design a plan to meet theirs.
But what really resonated with me the most in this article, and left me thinking even after reading the article is the following statement, "There are no greater errors that prospective teachers can make than those that stem from an unbending certainty to one's beliefs" on page 111. I know my own faults, as I spend a lot of time being introspective, and I know I have a stubbornness in me when it comes to my own beliefs. When I read that it made me more aware of something I already knew, but I know have to focus on. I have a tendency to think I'm very logical and that my beliefs are therefore logical leaving no room for other possibilities sometimes. But I've learned to be humble and accept that I'm wrong and that there's still quite a lot I need to learn. I feel that had I not read this I might have made the same mistake that Zeichner and Grant has warned in this article, and for that I'm grateful.
Lovely!
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