"The teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the student to learn is hammering on cold iron." That was Horace Man speaking many decades ago. The declaration has proved itself many times in history and is still proving its truth today.
But how can a teacher inspire a students? Does it mean spoonfeeding him or just the contrary? In my fifteen years of formanl education, a lot of teachers discouraged my by their indolence and arrogance. Yet, many pulled my hand just when I was about to quit. They have inspired me in many peculiar ways which are beyond articualation. But I can clearly recall they all made me believe in myself.
A teacher who tells me I should know everything before I enter his classroom tells me I do not need him, so that I lost my interest in his subject even before I gain my interest to listen. A teacher who tells me he never erred in his days as a student also tells me I am not entitled to commit a mistake, so that my mind starts wandering where there is a roomfor correction left the very moment he speaks.
Yes, I could take them as a challenge and turn the situation in my favor. But I wonder, what ever happened to the phrase, "no one os infallible", or still of the phrase, "he widest room is always the room for corrections".
I would rather have a teacher who tells me to go ahead and commit mistakes while I am a student than to commit it to a client in the field. I want a teacher who believes that learning never ends. Then I will be confident thast as in a dance, not knowing the fifth step will not cripple me to learn the first four steps. I will learn the fifth step as I go.
I am not really looking for an ideal teacher because I do not deserve one. I just wrote this blog as symphaty to those teachers who think their students are dumb, slow-learners and unteachable. They seem to have forgotten their philosopher who said, "The brilliance of a teacher is manifested by the caliber of his students".
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