Teaching Without Joy and Learning Without Hope by Gandhi

Teaching without joy and learning without hope by Gandhi:

I would like to begin my sharing with this paragraph that I read from the book of Dr. Jesus Palma, on Curriculum Development System: “The teacher performs two very important functions in the educative process. One function is that of “character formation” which is caused out through modelling, counselling and the application of behaviour management or discipline. The second function of the teacher is that of “instruction” which consists of a set of experiences and resources that the teacher and learners utilize to achieve the learning objectives. The two aspects of instruction are “teaching” and “learning”. TEACHING is the responsibility of the teacher, a professional adult person trained for the job. It involves the intelligent arrangement of the environment and resources of learning that will evoke the right kind of response from the learners, a group of young maturing individuals under the care of the teacher. LEARNING is done by the learners by using optimally the learning resources and undergoing the planned learning experiences. The common concern of the teacher and the learners is that curricular requirements are met and standards of achievement attained so that learners develop according to the profile of the “IDEAL GRADUATE”.”

Yes, indeed, learning is the top priority in our educational system and teaching or what the teacher does is important only insofar as it advances the intended learning outcomes---to have an ideal graduates! I see teaching as a process of “helping” the learners learn or a process of “facilitating” learning. The word “help” and “facilitate” I think can only be possible with JOY. If learning is the top priority the teacher must not hold back on this so that he/she may able to show HOPE in learning. As I am reflecting, every day I am looking forward to feel the passion and joy to act in this profession though many times I feel it is tough and not easy.
I believe that “teaching without joy” may lead towards “learning without hope”. Allow me to share with you the following daily reminders of joy and hope for a teacher to avoid these blunders and to keep the joy in teaching and so to advocate hope in learning...

1. Harness the virtue of patience inside me: it helps, however, it is much great indeed if I am showing by example how to hold my students with arms of love (hold my temper I guess  );
2. Be creative to use different options and utilize every “tool” (strategy and methodology) that I have. It is really a great help for the students to see from their teacher the effort of being creative, because in creativity there is joy;
3. Be wise not to teach everything that I know, never stops learning from as many sources as possible and not to bother learning what is unimportant to teach...wisdom beyond knowledge;
4. Seek always for serenity: I will not allow students to dictate my own mood or my stress level, as much as possible I will choose to stay calm and cool;
5. Learn to listen: we can also learn from our student’s point of view and actions. I am not in the classroom just to give my lecture but I am with them as their guide who willingly partakes in a give and take relationship of love and friendship;
6. Persevere: never give up on my students, continue to motivate, encourage them to turn their dreams into reality and make them realize that a goal is worth pursuing until it is reached;
7. Be gracious in speech: thinking, “what was the last word I’ve said to my students?” of course it is important to express gratitude for their lives rather than irritation with their faults;
8. Doing what is best: with all sincerity, it is important also to ask God what He desires for my students and then I will line up my teaching efforts accordingly;
9. Radiate Sunshine: I will always remember that every class is a blessing and I shall not forget to light up the classroom with a sincere smile. I will teach with a happy heart;
At the end of the day I think it is good to have,
10. A moment of reflection of what had happened in the whole day. If I find myself tired and empty, I will try to restore in me the joy. If I have lost enthusiasm for teaching, I will go back again with my mission statement, I will ask God to renew my vision and courage and recapture the essential meaning of “Why I became a teacher?”
...definitely, I am not a perfect teacher but I know in my heart I am trying to find my own purpose and meaning as I spend my time in the classroom each day of my life. In all humility, I am accepting this profession as my ministry more of as a job. I am praying that the Master of all Knowledge, the Almighty will give me strength to pursue and enlighten my whole being and so to desire always to give my best and passion in teaching. Teaching is just like a service, Gandhi said: “Service which rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy”.

Thank you for reading....
God Bless us all!

Jeramie N. Molino
Baguio City, Philippines