The Quest #14
šThe Magic of Great Teachers, the Gurukul, and Making Education More Human
Hello Friends!
Greetings from Barcelonaāļø. Many thanks for your feedback on the last edition. I asked for it and you gave it! A special shout out to the following people: Nadia and Mariano in Montreal, Deepa on Bainbridge Island, Maria in Barcelona, Kasia in Brussels, Dad in Bracebridge, and my loving sister Connie in Toronto š.
If you are joining The Quest for the first time, welcome to our weekly exploration of creativity, facilitation, and learning. You can catch up on past editionsĀ here.
Letās get started.
āRaise your hand if you have had a teacher who has changed the course of your life. Who got you to see the world in a whole new way. Who saw something in you that you hadnāt even seen yourself. What was it about that teacher that made such a deep impression?
Online learning is helping us to shed light on what makes a really great teacher. And itās not only about how quickly they can learn the latest features of Zoom.
This week weāll be exploring:
The magic behind great teaching from inspiring teachers in Spain
Insights from the Gurukul system of training in India
How teachers make education more human, and moreā¦
Here we go!
šSupporting Teachers to Support Students during COVID: A case study from Spain
I was thrilled to be a guest author for Partners for Youth Empowerment this month. The topic? How to train teachers online to build social-emotional skills in students. The blog describes my experience of leading an online Creative Facilitation course for teachers in Spain. These teachers opened my eyes to the infinite ways they have had to adapt during the pandemic. Every. Single. Day.
The lesson? Teachers spark transformation in students when they are alive to their own creativity regardless if it is online or in-person. Read the whole blog here.
Teachers describing the strengths they bring to teaching (in Catalan:)ā¦
Lessons from India: The Gurukul System of Training by Miti Desai
A fascinating essay by Bangalore-based Designer, Classical Dancer, and Educator Miti Desai. In the essay, Miti recounts her experience learning a classical Indian dance style through the Gurukul system of training. She talks about the central role of her teacher, with profound insights on teaching. Read the whole essay here.
The lesson? The bond and connection between teacher and student is central for deep transformative learning.
Miti also brings the elements of the Gurukul to life with beautiful watercolour designs like this one:
Source: Miti Desai www.mitidesignlab.com / with support from Ecoversities Alliance
š¤Making Schools More Human
A New York Times op-ed piece by Jai Mehta, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His bio reads, āa professor who studies how to transition from rote learning to deep engagementā. That piqued my interest.
In this piece, Mehta explores how COVID has shown us how education is broken and how to fix it.
The lesson? He writes that in the US āclassrooms that are thriving during the pandemic are the ones where teachers have built strong relationships and warm communitiesā¦ā. Iām pretty sure you wonāt find that in many teachersā job descriptions. Being a caring human is a fundamental part of the role.
And just when you thought you had already seen the most moving pandemic-themed Zoom musical collaboration, Mehta shares another one. Check out this student-produced music video Make the World Better. Thanks to Delia for sending the link.
šA Famous Letter of Gratitude
A beautiful example of a former student thanking his teacher, via Maria Popovaās newsletter Brain Pickings. The author? Albert Camus, written after winning the Nobel Prize. He credits his teacher, Monsieur Germain, for his āclear-sighted earnestnessā for which he won the prize.
In the letter he writes, āWithout you, without the affectionate hand you extended to the small poor child that I was, without your teaching and example, none of all this would have happened.ā Read the whole letter here.
The Lesson? I see at least two.
1) The compassion that his teacher had for the young Camus opened a crucial doorway to learning that might otherwise have remained shut.
2) Thank the teachers who have made a difference in your life.
What would you write in your letter?
Thanks for reading. I always love hearing your feedback and suggestions. Feel free to email me at gwyn@gwynwansbrough.com.Ā Visit my website for ways we can work togetherĀ here.Ā
If you are enjoying The Quest, I'd appreciate it if you shared it with anyone you think might like it.Ā
Until next week!
Gwyn
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Thanks Dad. You have been that teacher for a lot of students!
Really interesting international perspective. Finding that teacher is the trick. Good topic for a poll. I found mine at age 45. So donāt give up too soon! š