Calling of the spirit
The spirit of teaching…what does that mean? It is not a religious reference nor will one find it listed in a glossary of teaching terms. It is not something that can be defined by tests, data, numbers, letters, scores, scales, standards or any of the other common measurement tools and terms used to define education today. It is not an ephemeral phrase like many of the buzz words that pass through the pedagogical winds of time. It is something that beckons the heart of humanity and whispers in the ears of a chosen few to answer the calling…the calling to serve, guide, inspire and facilitate children learning more about who they truly are and what unique gifts they have to share with the world. We are here to make a difference and create a better world for the future through children. The spirit of teaching starts in the heart and ends in the heart.
We are facing unprecedented times in education right now due to COVID-19: school closures, canceled testing, no graduations, online learning, parent overwhelm, student disengagement, inadequate resources and training, children not having basic needs of food and safety met, and so on. Emotions are high, especially fear. We are really taking a hit to the heart of education and what I call the “spirit of teaching”. All of the things we have been focusing on and investing in schools over the past decade or more have gone out the window during this crisis, and understandably so. We have already been struggling for many years since the introduction of government mandated initiatives like No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top and now Every Student Succeeds Act. Higher expectations and accountability for all stakeholders in education have created a very head-centered approach for more high stakes student testing, merit-based funding and pay, school grade labeling and teacher evaluation checklists. Basically, systems of worthiness. None of this matters right now.
What does matter, for now and forever, is connection, communication and community. We are all in this together. Maslow before Bloom’s. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs…needs of the heart…my heart to your heart to our hearts.
I have been a teacher for over 40 years. I have taught every age group from 3-year-olds to 90-year-olds. I have taught in private and pubic schools, in under-served and privileged areas. I have endured the constantly swinging pendulum of educational trends through six decades and survived because of one basic guiding principle. The ONE thing I have found to be constant, consistent and critical to education in every context and circumstance was the spirit of the heart. There were basics that every person and every situation always needed: safety, kindness, compassion, love, inspiration, validation, encouragement, support, joy, equanimity and above all, hope! All words and concepts of the heart and what should always be the key content of our educational curriculum. Maybe what we need is to practice more heart-fulness.
So, it is in these unprecedented times that the calling of the teaching SPIRIT to come together in connection, communication and community is the loudest and strongest ever. My purpose and passion will be to offer kind and loving words, content, inspiration, invitations and pathways to find our way to the heart and spirit of teaching.
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