Needless to say, learning is fluid, and it is this point that needs to be remembered and embedded deep within our pedagogies. A child learns much like adults do, and in fact they often can retain way more information than most adults. If I pause to reflect a moment, I can't sit for a long period of time without needing a brain break. Children are no different, and in many ways even more complex.
As such, it is even more important that we continue our own learning. For example, as a teacher I am very interested in ways to build a positive community within the classroom. This is something that a very dear woman named Donna has helped me to learn. The need for a positive learning environment is desperately needed in many schools around the world. However, I find it especially important in my day to day work at my school. The sad thing is that the UK education system does not leave much room for this. What I find even more shocking is the fact that teachers in the UK are pushed into a certain mold- a mold in which teaching and learning do not (and cannot) harmoniously coexist.
Needless to say, we are fighting an uphill battle over here. One that is not with the children, but one that is with the school administration and even higher up in the ivory tower that is the government. So, as we now will soon hit the Easter break, the question now becomes "what does the future hold?" On one hand, I find myself looking to run for the hills. On the other, I think back to where my brain was at in September, and I think about how far I have professionally grown and developed. While I certainly do not fit the UK mold of teaching, is it possible to show them the light? Only time will tell how strong I can be.
