Teaching/Learning-The Relationship Factor

I was listening to a Ted Radio talk show . The speaker was  Rita Pierson , an educator with more than 40 years teaching experience to her credit and in her own words had spent a massive amount of time in the school room, among students, and just making human connection in the teaching and learning arena. She shared many beautiful personal experiences. Learning and teaching she said, is all about making a connection, the understanding  and the relationship factor. It does make sense as one need the community to survive well. Her statements echoes with truth.  Her talk was simple, basic and yet so powerful and dynamic that I cannot help but pay attention.

How many of us are aware  that    relationship is a crucial component of  life’s living ? Living is all about the connecting process- understanding and being understood. Perhaps in the twosome  sphere,  we cannot help but realise how important it is to click and develop that relationship further if we want to have a  life together but how many see relationship  in the light of  enhancement and empowerment  in the teaching and learning process?  How many see parenting as a relationship thing? That’s part of teaching and learning too. Perhaps, many  may have some insight however that  knowledge remains inert  among layers of  taken for granted cushions , inactive  and  left sleeping in the background, without any of its mechanism  activated and applied. The power is there, just not applied.

After chewing upon her talk and reflecting upon it, I realise that , relationship does scream from every corner and in every aspect of living. I am aware, yet I have  never  awakened enough to really  value and apply and  leverage upon it, especially in the learning and teaching sphere. When I took time to reflect,  pctures started to form. I started to recall, memories took shape and I begin to see logic.  

I remembered my secondary school days, as a fun loving student and  caring teachers took me under their wings. I remembered especially my  English literature teacher, who instilled the love of reading and literature into me. She got me to read, read and read. She got me to spell confidence well. She got me to explore deep into each and every text, understand what each syllabus  meant in context with the overall.  She got me madly  in love with William Worthsworth that I could vanish for hours into his world of nature and see through his eyes the scenic beauty of the world around him.  I never forgot –The Daffodils even  till this day. How lyrical the words:

.........

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Those images still flash vividly in my inward eye, especially in  solitude. These are happiness of a different sort.I remembered each word of guidance and praise from that caring teacher and how it uplifted me and spurred me on to do better and better. She taught me to look beneath the surface and explore not only the depths but the different angles when light reflects. As she taught, she inspires. Due to our good relationship, I  was never afraid to seek more help  from her, knowing she would have the patience to sit down and share her knowledge and she never fails. She never tore me to pieces but install confidence and help complete any jigsaw puzzle. Good relationship brings with it a unique friendship and trust which has the power to bring growth and progress in learning. It motivates in a forward motion. It was a mutual fulfilment of teaching and learning - her part and mine.

Now, when I  examined my relationship with my own students. I see a particular pattern. Those students, I constantly praise and encourage, do better than others. Students I see as rowdy and naughty, are  more distant and less hardworking. There seemed to be an invisible divider separating the educator and the learner.

 I despair when their grades fall and do not improve, but somehow cannot reach out far enough to draw them into the learning circle. I cannot catch their attention. On the other end, it is a breeze to bring learning to those students who already like my teaching methods and are dedicated to their studies. They are already part of the attentive group, who trusts  and  already working to formulate a good rapport through their attentiveness and interest in learning. There is mutual liking for one another. Each want to do more for one another.

I’m  wondering if the difficulty to touch the learning in some students is  due to lack of good relationship? That not enough time had been spent to develop understanding between both parties.? Perhaps, students need to feel the teacher’s care before they could react positively?    I’m wondering if relationship is indeed key to helping each and every teacher teach better , that students are encouraged to  remove  their barriers and flow in with the  learning, thus learn better.  There is a certain logic here. I see it. In a friendly atmosphere, there are less obstacles blocking the mind. Less  resistance. It freely opens up to absorb the learning. Having  trust and respect for  the educator adds to the magic. You become an inspiration. Admired. 

That teacher is often seen as an authority on the subject  adds to that scoreboard. Teachers  must be seen as an expert who is willing to share and impart knowledge in a positive manner. They must want their students to achieve and be seen as willing to contribute to that achievement. . That helps student build up interest  and confidence in the subject/s. It always starts with, I want to do well enough to please my teacher and along the way, before you realise it, you’ve fallen  deeply in love with the subject for yourself.You want to excel in it for yourself. Some students tell me, their love for subjects like Maths and Physics were inspired by their teachers whom they like and admired very much. Somehow, these teachers have the skills to open up windows in their mind and they comprehend the lesson brilliantly. The understanding just flows in. 

I  even have some people   telling me, that even in doing assignments, if  it is for a lecturer, they look up to, they will break all boundaries to come up with the best, not only to score but to gain the lecturer’s respect. They tend to do less brilliantly for lecturers, they were not comfortable with. I’m not too sure about this, perhaps, they should get rid of that negative feelings for sometime positive to help themselves? Basing on my own school days experiences, and my recent post graduate studies, such brickwalls does arise but admiration and respect  for the other  do work to break down those barriers for the forward movement. I became a better person, a better learner because of the good relationship factor.   

Others may not agree with me. So you educators and learners out there, what do you think? Do you agree that relationship is a major factor in the teaching and learning?  That good relationship improves teaching and learning? I would like to hear from you if you have anything to say.