Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
Plato
Maria Montessori knew that the teacher’s self-knowledge and awareness are crucial to seeing the learner clearly – seeing the child as whole and responding to the child in the moment. In other words, we speak to the teacher in a learner best when we are conversant with our own inner teacher. This requires that the heart and mind work together to expand our capacity for connectedness. I think this further suggests that the intellect – the way we think about learning; emotion – the way we feel about learning; and the spirit – our desire to connect to a greater whole – are an interdependent whole in the teacher and the learner.
So it is that we seek, find and live into teachable/learnable moments. So it is that we work together to make sense of, acknowledge and live our human paradox – balancing our dependence on how others respond to us with our independence of how others respond to us.
Just as parents set tasks, give choices, and negotiate the dance of holding on and letting go, teachers use the scaffolding of the learning environment to provide structure and support for the child’s own work to develop; providing parameters and boundaries to a work in progress which dissolve because the learner internalizes them.
Through this teaching/ learning exchange the learner is empowered to find her/his voice, to use that voice and to then have that voice heard.
Active, engaged, critical thinking - does it require more effort for student and teacher? Certainly. Does it sometimes involve a period of discomfort or confusion? Sure. If the mission is to give students the tools and capacity to face the future with confidence and competence, we need to assure them that we believe in their ability to step up to the challenge, and support them in their growth toward that end.
