A Few Thoughts About Teaching Today

I have a few raw thoughts I would like to share about teaching. These thoughts are inclusive of culture, teaching, mind-set, and how to train the mind.

The past weeks I have teaching 5^th through 7^th grade basic formatting skills using Microsoft Word. The students seem to know a few functions, but no teacher has ever explained what each function on the toolbar does and how they are best used. The students have, more or less, used them by smashing the buttons. I additionally gave them abotut 30 vocabulary words to memorize so that they could be more literate in using the computers. So my goal for the past few weeks was to build vocabulary, teach them basic formatting skills and functions, and to practice these actions.

Today after a “pruebita” (quiz) I had an exercise for them to practice the formatting skills for their upcoming Exam. Here is an example of the basic instructions:

1. Bold this line of text. Negrita esta línea de texto. 

2. Underline this line of text. Subrayar esta línea  de texto.

3. Align this line on the right side of the page. Alinear esta línea en el lado derecho de la página. 

Pretty straight forward. These are basic instructions that I had written in both English and Spanish ( in order to eliminate the language barrier). One thing that was frustrating about today was the way the kids seemed to need help at every step of the exercise. Some are so concerned about the way I want it, that they limit their own mind power.  The words, "No puedo" (I can't) seem to echo from their lips. Part of this "incapability" is yes age, another part is culture. In discussing this issue with Mr. Barry he assured me that it is culture for parents to do many things for their children, even up till high school. In a like manner the students desire the teacher to do their work. In addition to culture, the people here are accustomed to taking orders; therefore they desire constant instruction of how to do things rather than of thinking of new creative solutions, or in the case of this exercise simply following directions with their own understanding of how it should be done. 

This was a huge mental block to me today. How come some of these students simply quit? How come they can't simply follow instructions? Why do they feel like they need to make sure every step they do is OK'd by a teacher? I just want them to use their minds to think. I am so used to thinking of new ideas, developing solutions, and to problem solving. This has been the base of my education and I can see more than ever why I should be thankful for the challenges my professors gave to me. They were training my mind.

Today I thought of all my teachers growing up who seemed to love answering my questions with a question. Their answers, at the time were so frustrating. "Can't I just get an answer," I would think. But I see the fruit of their annoying questions now! I see now that my teachers responded to me in this way because they wanted ME to think, they wanted ME to be creative, and they wanted ME to expand my mind. Well now the tables are turned. I am starting to ask these kids questions as an answer to their questions. Let's see if these questions get them to think, expand, and train their minds.