In my heyday, I had the opportunity to be in teaching situations at the elementary, middle school, high school, collegiate, and adult-education levels in classroom arrangements on subject areas which included: a variety of English classes/specific grade-level- social studies classes/beginners and advanced creative dramatics/music in world cultures/speech fundamentals/debate/ choral singing/and newswriting and yearbook production classes — all depending on the needs and demands of where ever I was assigned to teach.
While there may have been ranges of differences in age, interest, levels of abilities, attitudes, coping skills, and/or extent of commitment and dedication on the part of each and every student, the consistency of establishing a rapport with each individual remained the same.
It was important to recognize and respect the individuality of each student and to place emphasis in establishing ways to encourage self-motivation and commitment to take the time and make the effort to meet the “demands” of completing the objectives of the class taken.
Clearly, a “working relationship” needed to be established from the get-go.
One of the things I focused upon was to greet each student by name on the first day of class — to emphasize to each student that he or she is the primary reason for making my job possible to be a teacher.
I wanted each of them to realize that they are “front and center” and the primary reasons why there is an educational system in place.
I had been through the rigmarole myself as a student — feeling lost in the shuffle of repetitiveness, “the-one-size-fits-all” approach of convenient compartmentalizations of methodology, and the bureaucratic arrangements which invite layers and levels of control and expediency.
It was interesting for me to see some of the responses the students had on that first day of class! For some, there was “shock.” “He knows who I am on the first day of class!” For others, a reluctant supposition: “Is this for real? Is this class really about me for me? How is that possible?”
All of this happened so long ago. I have been retired for nearly 30 years, after a teaching career that spanned 31 years from 1959 to 1990.
I have intermittently been involved in “teaching situations,” and I still have a dance troupe which I originated in 1967 which still exists today.
But, as I look back upon my teaching career, I realize that it took time. It took effort. It required concentration and commitment to get the information right, first and foremost.
Part of the format was to require each student to maintain a journal of class-related thoughts, concerns, and progression which were submitted monthly, providing opportunities for expressed responses going both ways between teacher-and-each-student.
Combine that with a myriad ways of individualized projects and activities; group efforts; and collaborative endeavors which synergized and energized the teaching-learning processes in so many vibrant ways!
So many of my fellow teachers have that “spark” to encourage others to find ways in which they can tap the personal attributes of their students to become learners … achievers … respondees …. motivated and delighted with their individual efforts to discover … grasp … stimulate …. and/or polish their skills or abilities.
To do that, the educational system must be a place where such approaches are encouraged! Education was once a “pathway for the privileged” which has become a “highway for the masses.” That being so, we cannot only be mindful of avoiding “traffic jams” or congested systems.
Let us be mindful of the power of knowledge — that cannot be taken for granted by streamlined conveniences to simply expedite movement from place to place.
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Jose Bulatao, Jr. is a resident of Kekaha.
