Honoring the *Ancestors*

Pestalozzi with Orphans (from the Wikipedia Commons)

One of the most challenging assignments I had in graduate school (M.A.T=Teaching) was to write an exchange with my intellectual ancestors. What? Who? Exactly. After some serious thought, this is what I turned in. This made me smile and pretty much proves what a cornball I am.

Ancestors:
Maria Montessori, Italian educator and innovator.  
St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the environment, one of Italy’s first poets.
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Swiss educational reformer, considered the first educational psychologist. (He happens to be my actual ancestor—my mom’s a Pestalozzi and my grandpa was from Zurich).  
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,leader of the American civil rights movement, an amazing orator and spiritual person. Thomas Jefferson, third US president and dynamic human being.

Emily: Hello intellectual ancestors. I first want to thank you for contributing to who I am today. As I begin my career, I have a question for you all: what do you think is important for educators to keep in mind while teaching?

Montessori: The goal of education is for children to become thinkers. They need to be viewed as capable and given responsibility for themselves and their learning. Children ought to be given choices and be provided with purposeful learning environments, complete with real tools and classroom jobs. They ought to have beautiful and orderly places of learning—through this they will learn organization and important life skills. We learn through our five senses so create for them a pleasing environment that stimulates the senses. I believe everybody can learn but that not enough people get the opportunities they deserve. All people are teachable and I hope this viewpoint becomes more widespread. As a teacher it is important to provide your students with unscheduled blocks of time for exploration. This is when authentic learning takes place. Don’t worry, as long as you are purposefully observing your students and providing guidance, people won’t accuse you of being a slacker teacher who just sits back and does her own thing.

Emily: You are a kindred spirit. I really appreciate your approach. I wish I grew up attending school in a beautiful classroom where I was given freedom and responsibility. I hope I can provide those things for my students.

Pestalozzi: My advice is to recognize the individuality of your students. Everyone has their own route they need to take. People learn best, not through words, but through interacting and drawing their own conclusions. Study your immediate environment rather than places that are distant and remote. I agree with Montessori, children learn when they interact with their five senses. I would recommend object studies—explore with something concrete before moving onto abstract concepts. It is best to not force-feed people information—instead take a developmental approach. Learning is a process!

Emily: Wow. Thanks Great-times-10-Grandpa. I have heard of you my whole life but it is only now as I teacher that I appreciate your philosophy. I’ll do my best to keep your vision alive.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Teach your children to learn from history and to learn from people who may seem different from them. It is a powerful learning opportunity to look at the experiences and struggles of others. Many people who have motivated me were from different cultures. I saw my own story in the life of Gandhi and connected with white ministers who preached against segregation. You can learn from most people. Though there is still great injustice in our communities and world, spread a message of hope. Inspire young minds to be active in their world and feel their own power. Instead of resigning to apathy and indifference, encourage consciousness. Realize the dream of making a better life and world for yourself.

Emily: Dr. King, you speeches make me tearful (in a good way). You speak straight to my heart. Thank you for all the work you’ve done. I hope things are looking better from wherever you are now. I will work toward teaching children to celebrate human worth. I hope to find my own ways to participate in peaceful protest.

St. Francis of Assisi: Make your environment one of peace. Teach your students to appreciate nature. Take them outdoors to observe and reconnect with the natural world. Take deep breaths. Write poetry. Appreciate silence.
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
Where there is injury, pardon; 
Where there is doubt, faith; 
Where there is despair, hope; 
Where there is darkness, light; 
And where there is sadness, joy.

Emily: Oh St. Francis! I love your spirit. Assisi was my first stop in Europe and I felt your peaceful presence. I saw your statue covered with snow. Your words are inspiration.

Thomas Jefferson: I see being an elementary teacher as an amazing opportunity to encourage your youth to explore the world from many angles. I am not just a dead President. I am an architect, a writer, an inventor, a plant person, and an archeologist. Teach your students that the world is their oyster—they too can do it all. Encourage adventure and inventiveness. Don’t focus on limitations or pidgin-hole your students. Remind them to take lots of electives in high school and college! Also, I strongly believe in the separation of church and state. I dislike coercion and believe a person’s relationship with God is private and should remain personal and not a focus of our public institutions, namely schools. "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." 

Emily: You are remarkable. I have had a bit of a crush on you since I was 12. I admire your outlook on life, learning, and politics. Your breadth is inspirational. I plan to model this passion and pursuit of many interests for my students.

Thank you intellectual ancestors for your great works and powerful words. I am sorry that Einstein and Emerson had to miss our gathering, but you have fulfilled me with your passions and advice. I hope to continue your legacy as an inspirational teacher in the work that I do and in the life that I live.