Harry Shearer is one of those performers that most people don’t recognize by name but certainly know by the work he’s done. It turns out, he was also a teacher. For two years. To avoid the draft.
In this month’s Edutopia, Harry has a wonderful essay about his teaching experience and two memorable teachers he met along the way. In the process he offers some great insight for any of us teaching today.
Although my experience as a teacher ended badly, I realized that teaching begins not from where the teacher is, standing on the mount of knowledge and beckoning students up, but from where the students are inherently curious but overstimulated by crap and bored by pedanticism.
Along with this sage piece of advice.
One warning: Humor is one of those things that can’t be taught. Attempts to do so just result in widespread embarrassment for all concerned.
Be sure to scroll to the end for the Educational Wisdom of Principal Skinner.