Thus far, this class has been an experience the likes of which I've only had twice before. That experience is being in a class where I'm not just learning new information, new facts, but where I'm rapidly learning new ways of thinking and new perspectives on learning.
In high school, there were two teachers with whom I had similar experiences. First, in AP European History, my teacher got a class of 25 sophomores genuinely excited about the Rennaisance, the French Revolution, the Unification of Germany, and just about every other topic we covered that year. From him, I learned to view history as one big net of interconnected stories. Those stories- whether it be the death of Louis XVI or the Italian conquests of Garibaldi- are all related and connected in ways too numerous and complex to ever fully understand. Two years later, Mr. Chierico showed me unique and novel, yet surprisingly simple, ways of looking at success and life. In Public Service Practicum, dubbed PSP, we organized our own fundraisers in small groups, managed every little detail, and saw the projects out through the end. Chierico gave me a concrete example of how the cliches I had been rolling my eyes at my whole life could be applied in a meaningful way. That anyone who worked hard enough could achieve greatness. In both classes, I left for summer with a significantly different outlook on academia, myself, and the web of life.
This class, more than any I've had so far, has revolutionized my thoughts on education. Previously, my assumptions were that I would be a good teacher because younger kids respond well to me and I'm a fairly understanding, patient person. Now, I realize that the skills I had before were only the tip of an iceberg of educational techniques I would need to master.
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