What I most want to pass along as A Teacher?

This week, my reflection continues to explore my lived experience as a teacher.

As teachers we impart knowledge and learning as we mold our students – giving advice and guidance to them. Often the advice is filtered through our own life experience. While we give such advice whole-heartedly with only good intentions, sometimes, it is received by students as lectures or “shoulds”.

How did this happen? One of the reasons may be such good intention advice should not be about “we teachers” knowing what’s best for “them – our students”. What could we do to transform our advice into actual guidance for our students?

Well, I came to realize after observing my school leaders at work that there is a need to change my directive voice (aka advice) into non-directive voice. But what will it take to enable me to do so? This requires me to be humble, caring and respectful for the journeys of our students are going through. Hence, I need to be more open hearted to acknowledge the “largeness” of life and the mystery of what future holds for each of them. In this way, they – my students are not about “me” knowing what is best for “them”

However, there are also important things I want to pass along to all my students. I want my students to know that learning does not just stop at the end of the school day, the end of examinations or when the school terms end. Learning is lifelong process, and that we are all never too old to learn. Reasoning is important, not just during mathematics lesson but in every lesson. I want them to be lifelong reasoning thinkers. To reason to draw conclusion, to reason so as to infer and make judgment. Also, knowing how to live with what we have, value it and responsibly share it with other.

Indeed, as I reflect on these important things I want to pass along – though still in progress – it helps filled my teaching with warmth and depth.