The Disconnect Between Great Teachers and Great Learning

Summary

The article discusses the disconnect between great teaching and effective learning, emphasizing that while great teachers are passionate and choose to teach, their enthusiasm does not guarantee that students, who are often in class because they must be, will become enthusiastic learners.

Abstract

The author reflects on Tavian Jean-Pierre's article "The Best Teachers Will Always Do This One Thing," agreeing with the sentiment but cautioning that great teaching alone does not ensure great learning. The piece highlights the inherent differences between teachers' and students' perspectives on education, with teachers typically passionate about their chosen subject, while students are often in school out of obligation. Drawing from John Holt's book "How Children Fail," the author illustrates how the educational system can fail to engage students, who resort to survival tactics rather than genuine learning. The author argues for a shift from adult-directed education to an environment that fosters autonomy, exploration, and natural learning, suggesting that the solution to educational challenges lies not in more schooling but in creating spaces that allow children's innate curiosity and desire to learn to flourish without adult interference.

Opinions

Great teaching does not automatically lead to great learning because students' attendance in class is often compulsory, not driven by intrinsic interest.
Teachers' passion for their subject does not always resonate with students who are in class because they have to be, not because they share the same enthusiasm.
John Holt's perspective in "How Children Fail" is referenced to show that students often see school as an unwelcome obligation and may only learn to navigate the system rather than to genuinely understand the material.
The author suggests that the current educational model, which emphasizes adult direction, dep

The Disconnect Between Great Teachers and Great Learning

When I read The Best Teachers Will Always Do This One Thing by Tavian Jean-Pierre which I totally agree with, I felt compelled to respond. I agreed with all he said but I hoped that he wasn’t expecting that by following his suggestions, teachers would be assured of having enthusiastic, passionate, students experiencing great learning.

There is a lot of focus in the adult world on how to make children want to learn, be enthusiastic learners, follow directions, do as they are told, perform well on tests, and in many other ways meet the expectations of adults, even when the desired outcome means nothing to the child.

Sadly though, being a great teacher does not ensure students will be great learners. And that is simply because while the teacher chooses to enter the classroom, students don’t.

Teachers are in the classroom because (usually) the topic is one they have chosen, are passionate and curious about, and they have a desire to pass on this interest to others.

In contrast, in his book “How Children Fail”, author John Holt shares the students’ perspective:

“They (the students) were in school because they had to be, and in my class either because they had to be or because otherwise they would have had to be in another class, which might be even worse.”

Further, Holt shares his own thoughts as a teacher of reluctant students:

“So the valiant and resolute band of travelers I thought I was leading toward a much-hoped for destination turned out to instead be more like convicts in a chain gang, forced under threat of punishment to move along a rough path leading nobody knew where and down which they could hardly see more than a few steps ahead.”

“How Children Fail” was published in 1964, then revised and republished in 1982. It is a book about how the schools then were failing to provide the education that children needed. He shares his observations of how children learn tricks and techniques which ensure their survival in this strange environment full of strangers. He shares how the techniques he was taught to ensure learning was happening were many times actually part of the problem.

“How Children Fail” by John Holt, originally published in 1964, was revised in 1982.

We, adults, presume to know more about learning than children do, but how often do teachers sit and observe their students? Just watching and making note of the learning that is happening without adult direction and guidance.

Sit and watch for an hour an infant, toddler, or pre-school-aged child at home, not in an institution, but their natural habitat, home. Watch how they interact with everything in that environment. How they interact with other people of all ages. Constantly observing, questioning, experimenting, and yes, learning.

Humans are born with the innate desire to learn. It is not a skill to be taught from a curriculum.

Teachers sharing about themselves, going above and beyond the required text, and relating the content to real-life are all valuable. But what students are really missing when constantly under the direction of adults (teachers, coaches, parents, et al) is autonomy, adventures, and the freedom to dive deeply into their own interests.

The solution to the education problem isn’t more schooling and better teachers, but less teaching and allowing more learning to happen naturally through an interesting environment where exploring can happen.

To children, learning is as natural as breathing. When adults get out of the way, learning cannot be stopped from happening.

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