Schools: "Stand Still, Laddie!"

Gross' program for lifelong learning is self-focused and self-directed. Of course, one of the reasons for Gross' approach lies in schools failing students. Fear, not paidia (play) informed paideia (education), is too often the outcome for so many students from a traditional schooling.

I am an alumnus of Northern Illinois University, where I did my MA and PhD work (most of it) in Political Science. I have been thinking quite a bit about what motivates students to walk into schools and begin shooting. There are no doubt a myriad of factors. But my mind turned to one factor that surely has an influence: the fear and anxiety that characterizes traditional methods of pedagogy, described by Gross. which so stimulates our fight-flight reptillian brain. Indeed, the fears that Gross lists may add up to, or confirm, another, more dangerous fear which ossifies into an entrenched belief: "I am a worthless person, both inside and outside the classroom."

Such an event as occured at NIU underscores to me the awesome responsibilities we have as educators. I am not suggesting that we, in our "role," might directly prevent such killing from taking place. We are educators, not therapists. What I am suggesting is that we consciously create a fear-free classroom. Students should feel comfortable walking into a classroom and being in the presence of a teacher. Respect does not stem from fear, but admiration. Perhaps the student is simply not interested in the course, yet needs it for credit. One tries, as an educator, to spark interest in the student, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. But, even if not, if the student observes a teacher who loves the material, tries in a variety of ways to relate and facilitate that love to the student, displays fairness and an appreciation for the varying abilities of different students, shows fairness and empathy, and attempts to reach out to the student (perhaps not even academically, just as another human being--asking how other classes are going, etc.), a student will most likely respect such a teacher and such a situation goes far towards freeing the traditional classroom of anxiety and fear for the individual student.

My heart goes out to those at NIU who have lost loved ones or who are recovering from injuries.