Page 36 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL13

Learners should not feel inferior or intimidated by their teachers but be aware of their worth and dignity as human beingsand make sense of the world around them on their own terms. When teachers say that something is right or wrong, it is too often accepted without proof or question. Ideally students should be given the freedom to interpret a lesson and make decisions as to whether it is right or wrong. Good teachers tell students what they know, but great teachers inspire them to think and to question even their own les- sons. Giving students some control in class, however, does not mean that they should be proud, stubborn or become self-centred.Learners should not feel inferior or intimidated by their teachers but be aware of their worth and dignity as human beings. The societal and cultural climate makes many feel small and insignificant, but such cynicism should not pervade into the classroom. Just as local mass media force feeds the idea that “white is beautiful”, teachers should not create stereotypes of “smart” people and impose these on their students. If what teachers say is taken as absolute, students will never learn to embrace and make the best of who they are, trying instead to fit an ideology that may not reflect their own passions or interests. Hence students will not learn to grow emotionally and intellectually but will strive to become stereotypical learners who will be praised by society.An ideal education system inspires and encourages34 Elite+