Language Development

Journal 1

27/07/2010

What True Education Should Do

Sydney J. Harris 

"Socrates never said, "I know, learn from me." He said, rather, "Look into your own selves and find the spark of truth that God has put into every heart, and that only you can kindle to the flame."" (p.5)

I found this quotation very interesting as it highlights some of the issues concerned with the role of the teacher that we have discussed in other classes. What struck me about the passage was the timelessness of these ideas that were first spoken so many years ago but are still relevant and being debated by future teachers of the twenty-first century. For me the idea of the teacher being a facilitator of learning, a guide rather than an instructor seems a contemporary notion, and one which I do not feel that I have experienced during most of my educational career. Nevertheless, over the short period that I have been on this programme I feel that this is something extremely valuable that I have learnt and has inspired me as to the type of teacher I would like to become.

Another aspect of this passage which I found particularly interesting was the use of the word "every" (p.5). This is very powerfull as it implies that the author believes that everyone has the same potential to learn with the right education. Finally, the last part of the quotation is something that I also agree with; that each individual must become active, individual learners in order to grow. For me, a great teacher encourages their pupils to love to learn so that they will become self motivated to 'kindle' their own learning. even after they have left school.