8 September 2012

I'm a fraud.

I don't think or consider myself a teacher.  I actually don't like the word 'teacher'.  I looked up the word in an online dictionary and it says:-

"[with object] give information about or instruction in (a subject or skill):"

You see I think I'm more of an 'enabler'.  I decided this when I used to have classes of four/five year olds to settle in every September.  It struck me very early on in my teaching career (which actually never really became a 'career'!) that I was never going to be able to 'give information and instruct' kids or anybody else for that matter.  

Each child arrived in my reception class with their own set of skills and it was really up to me to find out what they were and then build on them and enable them to grow and learn from what they already had.

I try to take this attitude to adult classes too so that's why you won't hear me 'sounding off' about 'you must do it this way' or 'this is the way to do it'.  I'm more likely to say 'this is the way I do it but I'm happy to learn off you if you have a another/better way'.  

So, basically I'm a fraud!!!  I don't consider myself a 'teacher' at all BUT I'm going to be labeled as one for Tat Days and I'm going to have FUN, FUN, FUN and hopefully enable a few people to do something they've not done before.  Let the fun continue.

7 comments:

Neeneral said...

Love your perspective!

Anonymous said...

You certainly "enabled" me to advance my tatting when I first began and have since continued to help me learn new techniques:)Your blog was the first one I came upon after learning the basics and I tatted many of your patterns!!! Have lots of fun "enabling" others ;)

linda said...

Thank you for your comments. If you consider yourself an "enabler". Please don't stop. Your are such a help to us that can't keep the brain going all the time. I read and reread your information a lot. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Hugs

Jane McLellan said...

It's a shame that the word 'teacher' doesn't automatically evoke 'enabler', it should! Enjoy your teaching or enabling or whatever you want to call it.

Valerie said...

jane, how about saying you "facilitate the learning"?

Marilee Rockley said...

You're a super wonderful "enabler", Jane!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the class that I was lucky enough to attend at Tat Days with you as the teacher. You're also very good at keeping order with "unruly students" who were making noise down the hall :)

Katherine said...

I think you must have been an excellent reception class "enabler", how I wish there were more like you. I can imagine those kids arriving each day, bursting to tell or show you things...
And you are still such fun today, for us, I have really enjoyed the photos from around Stratford on facebook...oh, and I love all the tatting stuff, too!

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