I chose to write this week’s Think Piece based on two quotes that caught my attention. The first quote, a Chinese proverb, states that “teachers open the door, but you must enter yourself.” The ‘you’ in this quote refers to the student. Despite what many young people think, they do have a choice or a say in aspects of their education. If they are smart they will make perhaps one of the best decisions of their life by choosing to attend school and choosing to engage in the learning environment.
As teachers, I believe that we should set high expectations for students. Young people know when teachers believe in them or not. If we set our expectations for students too low then they will only meet those low expectations. We must set an example for students by believing in their ability to achieve so that they can develop self-efficacy and belief in their own abilities and the possibilities for success. Educators must also create an environment that will make students want to enter that door. A teacher who is enthusiastic and encouraging and a teacher who provides variety and choice is more likely to have students who want to learn opposed to teachers who do not act and speak positively about their subject matter.
The second quote that resonated with me was a phrase from Louis L’Amour, which advised that, “A writer’s brain is like a magician’s hat. If you’re going to get anything out of it, you have to put something first.” Similar to the quote, “don’t put the cart before the horse,” each quotation emphasizes that you cannot get something out of nothing. A student needs modeling and knowledge about how to brainstorm and organize thoughts and ideas. In essence, an author’s words or another person's ideas are the seeds of thought that are planted in a student’s mind. They must also be shown methods of expression, otherwise their memories and experiences will stay locked away in their minds rather than being shared with others.
