"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

Day 20: How important you think education is.

Before I start - yes I've skipped Day 19, I don't think I could create a very good post about the topic.  Disrespecting my parents.  Yes.  I was a teenager for several years. End. Lol!

Now back to education.  Being a teacher I obviously think it's pretty important but, my beliefs on what 'good' education is might differ from some people.

I think a well rounded, well educated child needs learning to come in many ways - doing, talking, listening, experimenting, making mistakes, asking questions.  This should not be all done in schooling but be a relationship between schools and families to make this happen to the best ability. 

An education isn't all tests and homework. Nor is it about having all the answers at any one time. It's about having the ability and the thirst to be able to search for the answers to any questions that are meaningful to you, not someone else.

As the title to this post says - "education is not the filling of a pail..."

My job as a teacher isn't to fill children up with knowledge.  My job is to give them opportunities to acquire the knowledge themselves.  I can lead them to it, I can help them through it, I can prompt, but I hate to just tell.  You're not truly learning when you are told something. You might remember it for a little while but it's not the true learning that needs to occur for all students.

"...but the lighting of a fire".  It is my job to get children excited about learning and knowledge.  It is my job to show children how to find the answers to their questions. It is my job to facilitate by asking, by prompting and by guiding.

I hate the way some people view teachers.  Just this past weekend I had to endure someone prattle on about how bossy we are (which I am.. lol) and how we think we're always right (which I also am :D).  Good teachers love learning themselves. In my case, I might think I'm always right but I'm always, always open to learning new things and expanding my horizons. We might come across like we think we know everything but in my case it's just me learning, making new connections with the ones I already have or cementing my knowledge by discussing what it is I already know or have experienced. 

We're also teachers by habit.  I think  a lot of good teachers are born good teachers and because of this we usually know a lot about things - as I said before, we like to learn.  We apologise for trying to teach you some of these things - even when you don't want to be taught.  We just do it.  We're not all arrogant know it alls, just me.  :)