Awakening

Einstein said that 'the supreme art of the teacher is to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge'.
But everyone knows well that most times we teachers do nothing to awaken anything. We teach our students to pass exams and score the As. I tried something today in a class. I instructed my learners to write-in-role (a Process Drama technique). We used 'The Phantom of the Opera' and students wrote a journal entry as Erik, the Phantom. I made the students close their eyes and listen to expressions Erik must have heard over and over again..."Monster! Ugly! Abomination! Cover your face! I don't want to touch you! I hate you! Don't come near me! Hideous! Murderer!" (I think you get the picture.)
I told my class to write what they felt hearing those terrible remarks. I told them to cover their faces as if shielding the scarred face from unfeeling eyes.
THEY WROTE!
These wonderful children actually wrote and wrote!
For a brief moment I saw how much I have undermined these children. Today in class, these darlings taught me a thing or two (actually much more!) about the emotions Erik lives through.
At the end of writing, one sweetheart told me she was overcome and exhausted. Another said he would never ever call anyone ugly.
And I felt Einstein would have been proud of me! (okay, maybe not too much....a little perhaps?)
The moral of this narrative: Never underestimate these kids! Let your students teach you! Allow them the space to imagine and create!
Next week ...the boys are Raouls and the girls will be the opera darling, Christine.
With my students' permissions, I will post a few of their creative masterpieces.
One last thing.....Dr Anthony Manna, THANK YOU!