Memorable Students: M

If there is any joy greater than teaching a memorable student, it’s teaching them three times. Such was the case with M, who was in my class in Pre-K, first and second grade. He was intellectually beyond his years, sweet in disposition, generous of spirit with his peers, and had a smile and a giggle that could melt the hardest heart. What really stood out about him, though, was his curiosity. He wondered (sometimes aloud) about everything. Boredom never plagued him, not because anyone was designing to entertain him or challenge him or cater to his interests. He was never bored because his sense of wonder kept him company at every turn.

As his teacher, I recall attending a professional development workshop promising to help participants understand how best to keep their “brightest” students challenged in the classroom. I was worried about being able to give him what he needed. What I learned in that workshop helped me for the remainder of my long career, and it is this simple: Remove the barriers to further learning. There is no need to develop an individual curriculum, per se, but very much the need to design an environment (both physical and social/emotional) that encourages individual exploration by inviting it, modeling it and providing the tools. (I’ll perhaps delve into this further in another blog post).

Back to M; I needed to examine my own practice as it related to nurturing wonder and encouraging self-propelled learning. I did that, in large part, by watching M. navigate our little world. So, thank you, M.

PS: M now holds a PhD in chemistry, AND he is a master potter. His curiosity continues.