When I was about 5 or 6, I remember one night being driven over to one of my best friend's house (who is STILL one of my best friends!)who lived on the opposite side of Evanston from me. When you're little, the other side of time seems like another part of the world. I remember staring outside of the car on this particular night and said to my dad something to the effect of "Hey, Dad, the moon is following us to Jessica's house!" My Dad simply responded that because we were in the car and moving quickly, that it appeared to be following us. Truth is of course, the moon isn't following me around, that it isn't MY moon, that it is for everyone to see and share. It's mystic qualities can be interpreted in many ways, just as it can be scientifically defined. In many ways, the moon is similar to education--there are pedagogies, methodologies,philosophies, psychological/physical benchmarks of learners--many "ologys" can fit under the umbrella of EDUCATION. Most often, however, the beauty, power, and magic of education don't have space under that umbrella.
When I think about the lyrics, it leaves all the "ologies" at the doorstep. I'm not minimalizing their importance, but giving credence to the importance of the student-teacher relationship. I, as a teacher, certainly don't have the same viewpoint of the world as my students, and vice-versa. They, too, don't necessarily have the same perspectives as their peers, because each true viewpoint is individual. However, we are all part of the educational experience. We may be "worlds apart" in our world views, ideologies, goals, race, religion, etc., but in a classroom where the teacher--me--respects and appreciates all students for what they can bring to the table, what I can take away from it, and how I can be an instrument in their educational process, then we all have the potential for learning and growth.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt is too bad you dad busted your moon bubble. He could have rally played along with your concept and then told you the reality of how the moon works. Yes, the moon is not YOUR moon but it can be a private moon experience for us all.
ReplyDeleteI guess the moon and the song do have ologies some can be left on the doorstep and others we will never know about while others will follow us through the door.
I might disagree when you say as a teacher you do not have the same viewpoints as your students and vice versa. With some issues that may be true but, I think, for the most part there are a lot of similarities. More similarities than differences.
Maybe we all want world peace or not wanting to be hungry and wanting a roof over our heads and wanting to have a beautiful day and not wanting to feel pain and wanting to be safe. In lots of ways we are more a like than different in our perspectives that guide us.
However, as you identify there may be a few points where adults may look at one aspect of differently than a student. But sometimes our kids will have far more profound thoughts than we do because they do not have blinders on yet. Or maybe they have not been tainted like adults have and they might be more pure in thought and maybe they have more of an open heart
I agree when you say that you can be an instrument in the educational process but remember students will also be an instrument in your educational process too. We always learn more from our students are students learning from us.
Yes, we do all have a potential for learning and growing with common and maybe not so common views of the moon. The moon may follow us in different ways although it looks the same.