Jamie Anderson

What is the purpose of education? How does this belief influence your pedagogy?

I believe the purpose of education is to get people from one point of their learning to another...preferably in the positive. I believe everyone can learn something, yes I said it...anyone, even from either end of the spectrum. I heard a phrase once that goes hand in hand with education... "Anything is possible as long as it is not immoral, impractical, and does not cause harm to anyone." Don't know who said it but I believe it to be true. Think about it.

I used to think that I can teach anything to anyone and then I found myself frustrated when they didn't get what I was teaching them. I quickly became impatient and then gave up on them. I have since learned better and thank goodness for that.
Now, I take my time with all my learners and get them involved with learning what I am teaching them. If it is boring for me it is boring for them. That is how I look at things now. Once I feel that they have gotten what I am teaching them I have them teach me as if I am a novice. If they can get me to understand what they are teaching me I am confident they have learned something and as I am "asking questions" or "prompting them" they have no clue and they are confident that they have learned and can teach what they have learned. I am starting to see the change in my staff. I no longer see a bunch of servers that are constantly outside of the loop looking in. I am starting to see more confident servers and things are slowly getting to where they need to be for me. I must say things are getting easier. Can I get a heck yeah!!!