GREAT TEACHERS ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL

A note from a great granddaughter who started college just this year, reminded me of something I told her and anyone else who would listen to me. If you are planning to become an elementary teacher, I beg you to study the fewest courses in the Education Department as you can get by with. Please choose your electives on a higher level, in the Liberal Arts Division, such as art, architecture, music, history, drama, a foreign language, or even boating or horsemanship (other departments, of course).

Let your little charges, once you have then in your classroom, see your art work (not all of it at one time), your blue ribbon for horsemanship (not a sport, but an art), or bring your violin and teach them all the parts. Call catgut—catgut. Let them have their laugh over that. Their parents may think you’re teaching them biology. So what? Be careful now, don’t play the violin for more than “Twinkle, twinkle, little star,” for it takes years to play a violin well. As for singing, do that only with them singing with you. A vocal solo will not go over well, unless you’re ready for Carnegie Hall. And if other classrooms hear you sing that way, they will think you’re showing off, especially the teachers will.

Why, for all this? Let me give an example. A retired teacher, who had always taught at the junior high level, was elected president of a writers’ organization. What a shock at her first time presiding at a meeting. She treated us as if we were junior high students or even younger. She had cut out a magazine photo of an airplane, had it on a board down front, and she explained it was an airplane. I nearly went through my chair. Someone had a talk with her before the next meeting.

I have met numerous retired elementary teachers, and have found few that could discuss adult subjects, such as the latest best seller like Krauthammer’s. Usually we find nothing we can talk about.

So, I maintain students learning the teaching profession must not leave yourself out of real life. Study as much as you can outside the field of Education. Show your pupils what you can do beside teach arithmetic. Bring a photo of your motorcycle, if you don’t play a piccolo. Dismiss class with a goodbye in a foreign language. But my guess your knowing something special about art will be the biggest hit, for while the little fellows can’t steer a boat, speak Japanese, or design a cathedral yet, they can draw. And you can inspire them in that endeavor as you keep improving your own art talent. ♥