Random Thoughts on the Tao

"Respect the past in order to understand the present. The two cannot be separated."
(Nagel, p. 47)
While the examples in this book are all taken from teachers' experiences with children, I am trying to relate Nagel's message to adult education. In this chapter, she speaks of transitioning a child from homelife to the school environment. Referring to the child's past can help to do this. From something as simple as "show and tell" to having children write and present their life stories -- all are ways to help children make connections, bridge the gap. Children (and their teachers) need to know that school is not something we can separate from home life. The two are interrelated and what occurs at home affects and modifies what occurs at school, and vice versa.

How successful are we at doing this with adults? Do we still feel that "education" is something to be deposited into the recepticles that are our students' brains? Dewey's constructivism tells us otherwise. Learning occurs when we can draw on past experiences. When I imagine going home to teach adult ESL classes I see where this would be vital. Most ESL students are new immigrants who I'm sure at times feel like they have lost their past. Everything is so new. Learning a new language can only be accomplished by bridging the past with the present.

"Have faith in your students' responsibility for learning. It will allow them to fulfill your expectations." (Nagel, p. 55)

So much of good teaching comes from allowing the process to unfold--allowing the student to direct the learning, giving choices, trusting that the student knows what s/he needs or knows how to ask for it. Trust. . .faith. . .

Some Examples . . .

The importance of developing one's own teaching philosophy is stressed in the very first chapter of Nagel's book. While the book contains eighty-one tips on how to teach, we are reminded right from the start that no one can tell you how to teach. What may be right for one, may spell disaster for another. Maintain a sense of individuality.
"Good teaching can take few words" (p.18). In my Seminar course this summer we have been discussing the value of silence, allowing students time to ponder their response. Nagel looks at silence from another angle. "Speak once," she says, "and expect to be heard" (p. 17). There should be no reason to 'lecture' students about their behavior, nor give instructions more than once. Modeling and demonstration can also promote productive silence.
In Chapter 3, Nagel broaches the subject of competition and states that "wealth breeds competition" (p. 19). She also notes that competition breeds dissension. She gives wonderful examples of how to allow students to measure their own growth and avoid competition. But the average school today is rife with competition, from spelling bees, to academic decathlons, to any number of games and contests. Some would say these are healthy and provide motivation for learning. I'm curious to hear what my readers think.
In my current teaching position, the students have come to equate learning English with playing games. They beg for games! And we all try to accomodate them as best we can. Games make learning fun, but many times these games involve 'winning' and 'losing'. Now, for as many times as you've heard me mention the "group mentality" of Korean students, you can imagine (and rightfully so) that my students are not very competitive. But what message do we convey when a game results in someone being "the best"? For that matter, how does traditional grading promote learning and/or a healthy self-assessment?
I look forward to your response, and thanks for reading my blog!

It's a Start. . .

Well, I've just finished reading the first 42 pages of this book--for the second time! And I'm still trying to find my focus and direction for this blog. Nothing is coming to me, so I'm just going to start writing and hope that it flows. . .

A brief background on Taoism -- a philosophy, rather than a religion. The tenets of this philosophy can be found in the Tao Te Ching, often ascribed to Lao Tzu (Laozi), but which is a composite text written and rewritten over centuries with varied input from multiple anonymous writers (Hansen, 2008).

The word tao can be rougly translated into English to mean "the way" or "the road". Roads guide us and facilitate our arrival at a desired destination, which is what the author, Greta Nagel, PhD, intends to do in this book. The concepts discussed reflect many of the ideas cultivated in the AET courses I've experienced thus far: learner-centered practices, holistic views, interdisciplinary instruction, and constructivist education. Nagel (1998) outlines 81 chapters, which is reflective of the 81 chapters found in the Tao Te Ching. In addition to exploring the various virtues (compassion, moderation, humility, patience, etc.) discussed in this book of wisdom, Nagel provides examples of current teaching practices as exemplified by three anonymous (yet very real) individuals who represent teaching at the primary, middle, and high school levels.

The opening lines of Tao Te Ching are roughly translated as "The tao that can be named, is not the tao." In essence, the tao must be lived to be experienced. Nagel attempts to offer us a glimpse at how to live the tao while teaching.

For a brief, introductory explanation of the philosophy of Taoism, I recommend the following video presentation by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbh0DW6RhCs&feature=related


Tomorrow: some examples of Nagel's wisdom. . .



References:

Dyer, W.W. (2008). "Living the wisdom of the tao" by Hay House Publishing. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbh0DW6RhCs&feature=related

Hansen, C. (2008). Taoism. In E.N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Winter 2008 ed.). Retrieved from <http://www.blogger.com/%3Chttp://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2008/entries/taoism/%3E>

Nagel, G. (1998). The tao of teaching. New York: Penguin Group.