EDUCATION: The great teacher inspires

As a retired teacher, I’m thankful The Press includes trends in learning and education. Recent articles, “My Turn” by John Jenson, and a reprint from Idaho Education News caught my attention. Both offered insights on benefits and challenges in learning, however, with differing views. Mr. Jenson focused on “The Flaw in Education,” while the other on interpersonal communication, “A Human Touch.” Mr. Jenson compared teaching history with the learning benefits of playing soccer. The excitement his son received in sports through identity, recognition, group reinforcement and especially, he emphasized repetition which Mr. Jenson believes should be happening in the classroom, but doesn’t. Instead teachers focus on memorizing facts for tests, soon forgotten. Mr. Jenson’s son’s history teacher used “the smoke-and-mirrors switch”(?) instilling answers for the final so he would look good and his students’ grades would too. Yes, it is unfortunate, and sad, if Mr. Jenson’s memory accurately characterized his history teacher’s method. My hope is this employee didn’t make teaching a career. Unfortunately, a few “bad” teachers do survive, very few. Students can make it difficult for those unsuited for the job.

The article about human touch centered on hope and change as essential for learning. Because of recent shooting tragedies, teachers must get to know their students personally and care about their safety and how they treat others. What all good teachers do. If I were teaching, I would assign the April 18 Opinion Page, “A World With A Thousand Points of Light,” to all students. Not only read, but also write and share their thoughts on the article’s theme: “good people doing good things.” The opinion article emphasized a gentler, kinder, more caring society and, in my mind, should be required reading for every American, especially Senators and all in leadership!