Teachers as Learners, Students as Teachers
Teachers as Learners, Students as Teachers
When we think of the teaching that goes on in schools, we typically think of the teacher as a content area expert who transfers knowledge and skill in one way or another to students who are recipients of that knowledge and skill.
This kind of teaching is certainly appropriate in a variety of situations.
However, we could see more. More that would benefit both the teachers and the students. One place to start is to turn the relationship upside down, so to speak. For a moment, let’s think of the teacher as the learner and the student as the teacher. What could a student teach their teacher, especially in a way that would also be valuable to the student?
Students who speak different languages at home could help teachers learn their language. The teacher could begin communicating to the student and their family in their home language.
Students who participate in different cultures, traditions, nations, and religions could help teachers learn about these cultures, traditions, nations, and religions. All students’ cultures, traditions, nations, and religions could be celebrated and honored at school.
Students whose families possess certain skills, such as sciences, trades, arts, crafts, technology, and business management could help teachers learn about these topics and enterprises, and increase the depth and breadth of their knowledge and skill as well.
We could also see teachers and students as learners together. Collaborators. For example:
Students who want to learn something neither they nor the teacher know about could learn together.
Students and teachers who both want to research something could research together.
Teams of students and teachers who each possess partial knowledge and skill regarding a complex system or task could pool their knowledge and skill together while also learning from each other, and teaching each other, as they invent, build, and/or create something new.
Students and teachers could start businesses together.
K-12 schools could be more like inventive universities, who sometimes engage in this type of study.
This is an example of the kinds of things teachers and students will be doing at our school, from young ages.