About “Lo que no saben hacer los imbéciles” (an article by Javier Cercas. El País Semanal.)
I´ve decided to write about this article because i think it makes a deep and great reflection about two concepts very closed to education. Maybe the article of Mr. Cercas is more focused on how this terms are applied in a parental context but I think it can be perfectly adapted to a school stage. The article treats about two key concepts: on the one hand it connects what authority concept means and how it´s used (and abused) in educational contexts. On the other hand it talks about the meaning of empathy and how it´s truly an ignored way to channel the education, such by parents as teachers.
It´s something clear that everyone may use authority. It´s something that doesn´t need high formation as individual or high ethic values. Authority is like a fast car: so dangerous when it´s driven by the wrong one. Most of people put together authority with higher ideas as respect, discipline, following and instead admiration. “The more authority, the more respect I have from them”.
It´s obviously that´s the wrong way for education. If we look behind trying to remind teachers that marked our lives it´s sure we´re not going to find anyone that used authority and discipline as the only tools for education. It will probably be those that teached with passion. Those that worried about their pupils and listened them with the highest interest to know what they kept in their minds. Those who put themselves in the shoes of their children trying to understand how they felt. Those who definitely use the empathy as the way for education.
A very interesting piece, Rafa. I agree with you that this idea of empathy should be applied in education.
For this reason, the material that we are learning in Luis' class is making me reflect on how much I really empathize with young children. Sometimes, it's so frustrating to take care of them or to teach them because we expect them to have the same mental processes as we do. However, as we are seeing in Psychology, a child's mind, logic and perception of the world is completely different.
Sometimes I find myself becoming frustrated when a child does not use "logic", but now I'm realizing that they can't yet understand my logic, so becoming frustrated is completely counterproductive. In fact, the child can't even understand WHY I am annoyed, so there is a danger that he or she will blame himself or herself and have a lower self-esteem.
What I'm trying to say is that I think that empathy--trying putting yourself in their place--is the key factor to having patience with children, which results in less frustration for you (the teacher) and better self-esteem for the children.
It is a really interesting article. I absolutely agree. I think that of course anyone who wants to become a good teacher will have to empathize with the students, but on the other hand unfortunately, the human being has problem managing authority
Rafa I'm agree with your idea. I think that anyone person who want to be a teacher needs empathize with their students, in other case if he doesn't act with them of this form he is showing that is not a good teacher.
I also agree with you, Rafa. Having authority is easy, how hard is to listen, understand and try to help. In addition I also agree with Kate on the idea that patience is very important both personally and in our work as educators.
On the other hand, I have read the whole article and I was very impressed by the stories of Arthur Miller Kenzaburo Oe therefore, I will take as examples of what to do and what not to do.
Finally, empathy is very important and is something to be implemented.
I, as a mother, believe that it is very difficult to establish the line that divides empathy and authority. If there is an excess of empathy, child can abuse of this relation, because the adult must be a reference, not a friend. In the other hand, the adult can´t be a dictator .... up to this point, what is the right way of acting?
i think that the empathy has the same important as the autority because nowdays the children have bad behavior with the teachers and they need an strict way to learn. In my case when i was 10 years, i had a very strict teacher but also she supported us, and made her clases very interesting.
A very deep an interesting article Rafa, I agree with you in all these aspects: Empathy between teachers and students, authority, respect, interacting in overall, motivation...
Inma, is not necessary to teach in a strict way to the kids...in my opinion. In my case, I have a trouble class were they come to English classes obligated from their parents. Im not strict teacher but they notice that I care for them, adaptation its called. Now they like doing work, activities, games with me...is the teacher´s actitude what you could change and what you obtain is respect...in my case.
My students from where I work at the moment, they arrived to my class complaining about the teachers in school..."teacher, they dont listen to us, they send us always a lot of work, work and work, they dont explain most of the things to us, we must be in silence for everything, the teacher, instead of stablishing a topic or something they start reading the newspaper or books, or they leave the lessons. Thats why we dont take it seriopusly"
I was impressed because those kids really want to learn, to work,to become something in their futures life.And finally, they also want the school teachers to be dynamic.
In my case, you have to reach goals in your life, and one of being a teacher is the empathy and to be motivated in what youre doing, if youre not that motivated...I recommend you to quit because it will be your nightmare for the rest of your life. Thats my opinion, excellent job Rafa!
Firstly,I think that isn´t necessary to teach of a strict way,the basic aims are education and respect which parents have to give their children since teachers can´t do everything. I think that you can´t give them a lot of confidence because they can abuse you, although I consider that you shouldn´t be a strict teacher
Every good teacher should be displayed close to his students, putting in place, worrying about their concerns, their problems ... I think that if a teacher chooses authoritarian behavior to his students is because he does not know how to do it for the students to watch what he say. It is very important when teaching to know how to act so that your students learn and work together in a sturdy fun and learn the contents of the course.
I agree with you, Rafa. In my opinion, when we are teaching must be a reflection for students. We must be as we want them to be, because the major figures to imitate, when they are a child, are parents (family in general) and teachers.
So we must make a firm and authoritarian character, if we know to handle this authority in an appropriate and responsible form to don't make mistakes and mix authority and respect. Moreover, we must put ourselves in the students, to show emphaty for him and worry about their education. We will treat them as a human who we understand their concerns and their needs, and we can give them a full and close education.
In this way, mixing the two concepts (authority and empathy) can act as true educators showing proper preparation, attention to student and their needs, and give a firm and appropriate figure as a model to imitate by the students.
About “Lo que no saben hacer los imbéciles” (an article by Javier Cercas. El País Semanal.)
ReplyDeleteI´ve decided to write about this article because i think it makes a deep and great reflection about two concepts very closed to education. Maybe the article of Mr. Cercas is more focused on how this terms are applied in a parental context but I think it can be perfectly adapted to a school stage.
The article treats about two key concepts: on the one hand it connects what authority concept means and how it´s used (and abused) in educational contexts. On the other hand it talks about the meaning of empathy and how it´s truly an ignored way to channel the education, such by parents as teachers.
It´s something clear that everyone may use authority. It´s something that doesn´t need high formation as individual or high ethic values. Authority is like a fast car: so dangerous when it´s driven by the wrong one. Most of people put together authority with higher ideas as respect, discipline, following and instead admiration. “The more authority, the more respect I have from them”.
It´s obviously that´s the wrong way for education. If we look behind trying to remind teachers that marked our lives it´s sure we´re not going to find anyone that used authority and discipline as the only tools for education.
It will probably be those that teached with passion. Those that worried about their pupils and listened them with the highest interest to know what they kept in their minds. Those who put themselves in the shoes of their children trying to understand how they felt. Those who definitely use the empathy as the way for education.
A very interesting piece, Rafa. I agree with you that this idea of empathy should be applied in education.
ReplyDeleteFor this reason, the material that we are learning in Luis' class is making me reflect on how much I really empathize with young children. Sometimes, it's so frustrating to take care of them or to teach them because we expect them to have the same mental processes as we do. However, as we are seeing in Psychology, a child's mind, logic and perception of the world is completely different.
Sometimes I find myself becoming frustrated when a child does not use "logic", but now I'm realizing that they can't yet understand my logic, so becoming frustrated is completely counterproductive. In fact, the child can't even understand WHY I am annoyed, so there is a danger that he or she will blame himself or herself and have a lower self-esteem.
What I'm trying to say is that I think that empathy--trying putting yourself in their place--is the key factor to having patience with children, which results in less frustration for you (the teacher) and better self-esteem for the children.
Thank you Kate, here is the article if you want read it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.elpais.com/articulo/portada/saben/hacer/imbeciles/elpepusoceps/20101003elpepspor_2/Tes
Cheers!
It is a really interesting article. I absolutely agree. I think that of course anyone who wants to become a good teacher will have to empathize with the students, but on the other hand unfortunately, the human being has problem managing authority
ReplyDeleteRafa I'm agree with your idea. I think that anyone person who want to be a teacher needs empathize with their students, in other case if he doesn't act with them of this form he is showing that is not a good teacher.
ReplyDeleteagree with you. The authority only serves to silence and teaching is much more than that
ReplyDeletevery interesting!
I also agree with you, Rafa. Having authority is easy, how hard is to listen, understand and try to help. In addition I also agree with Kate on the idea that patience is very important both personally and in our work as educators.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I have read the whole article and I was very impressed by the stories of Arthur Miller Kenzaburo Oe therefore, I will take as examples of what to do and what not to do.
Finally, empathy is very important and is something to be implemented.
I like the article!
I, as a mother, believe that it is very difficult to establish the line that divides empathy and authority.
ReplyDeleteIf there is an excess of empathy, child can abuse of this relation, because the adult must be a reference, not a friend.
In the other hand, the adult can´t be a dictator .... up to this point, what is the right way of acting?
i think that the empathy has the same important as the autority because nowdays the children have bad behavior with the teachers and they need an strict way to learn.
ReplyDeleteIn my case when i was 10 years, i had a very strict teacher but also she supported us, and made her clases very interesting.
A very deep an interesting article Rafa, I agree with you in all these aspects: Empathy between teachers and students, authority, respect, interacting in overall, motivation...
ReplyDeleteInma, is not necessary to teach in a strict way to the kids...in my opinion. In my case, I have a trouble class were they come to English classes obligated from their parents. Im not strict teacher but they notice that I care for them, adaptation its called. Now they like doing work, activities, games with me...is the teacher´s actitude what you could change and what you obtain is respect...in my case.
My students from where I work at the moment, they arrived to my class complaining about the teachers in school..."teacher, they dont listen to us, they send us always a lot of work, work and work, they dont explain most of the things to us, we must be in silence for everything, the teacher, instead of stablishing a topic or something they start reading the newspaper or books, or they leave the lessons. Thats why we dont take it seriopusly"
I was impressed because those kids really want to learn, to work,to become something in their futures life.And finally, they also want the school teachers to be dynamic.
In my case, you have to reach goals in your life, and one of being a teacher is the empathy and to be motivated in what youre doing, if youre not that motivated...I recommend you to quit because it will be your nightmare for the rest of your life. Thats my opinion, excellent job Rafa!
Firstly,I think that isn´t necessary to teach of a strict way,the basic aims are education and respect which parents have to give their children since teachers can´t do everything.
ReplyDeleteI think that you can´t give them a lot of confidence because they can abuse you, although I consider that you shouldn´t be a strict teacher
Every good teacher should be displayed close to his students, putting in place, worrying about their concerns, their problems ... I think that if a teacher chooses authoritarian behavior to his students is because he does not know how to do it for the students to watch what he say.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important when teaching to know how to act so that your students learn and work together in a sturdy fun and learn the contents of the course.
I think that teachers must find the balance between the authority and empathy to be a good teacher
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Rafa. In my opinion, when we are teaching must be a reflection for students. We must be as we want them to be, because the major figures to imitate, when they are a child, are parents (family in general) and teachers.
ReplyDeleteSo we must make a firm and authoritarian character, if we know to handle this authority in an appropriate and responsible form to don't make mistakes and mix authority and respect.
Moreover, we must put ourselves in the students, to show emphaty for him and worry about their education. We will treat them as a human who we understand their concerns and their needs, and we can give them a full and close education.
In this way, mixing the two concepts (authority and empathy) can act as true educators showing proper preparation, attention to student and their needs, and give a firm and appropriate figure as a model to imitate by the students.
I agree with you,the first thing that a teacher must have is the respect of his students. He has to empathize with them.
ReplyDeleteAs Lidia says, teachers and parents are role model for children who want to do, what they do.