In the Classroom
So it could be in the classroom. To draw a parallel from this Picasso, the teacher provides the basic needs, envelopes the student, almost unaware, with the safety and structure necessary for purposeful learning. The teacher attends to the path ahead, smoothing it as necessary, warning as needed, yet allows, no, facilitates each step forward. The teacher senses students' abilities, gives a hand where needed, yet the hand is open. The loving, dedicated teacher does not pull back to prevent progress, is not jealous of the student who goes beyond reach, who asks questions beyond the teacher’s knowing, does not imprint personal fears or anxieties.

This teaching role calls for a belief in the inherent right to push forward. It also calls forth self-discipline to stand by, excitement about new and dangerous challenges, and ultimately asks for the wisdom to trust and believe in each student, in the unlimited potential of each human being. Some of these perspectives about education are new. The role of filling and shaping a student's mind has always been accorded to educators. Recognition that the mind is already primed, already brimming with notions, concepts, ideas, has been stated as early as Socrates’ era, but it has not been appreciated in today’s educational perspectives if it has been given credence. In fact there are many cartoons showing the teacher as frustrated and angry because the student focused attention in other places than what the teacher has decided are the matters at hand.

The role of seeing the child as a person in his/her own right and dealing with the child as an empowered personality has frequently been discounted. As uncomfortable as is may be to recognize:

1. Youngsters do have definite ideas and attitudes, some of which are solely reflections of their own thinking and individual personalities.

2. Youth have become enfranchised and they know that they have rights -- in fact many need to be taught the responsibilities which go with those rights so they can develop in socially appropriate ways and make choices which will not hamper their entire future.

3. Ignoring the student or discounting his or her ideas or feelings is unethical.

4. Empowering the student as learner, teaching the roles, rights and responsibilities of education and the role of an educated person with respect to ideas and feelings is functional, appropriate and necessary.

5. Each person in the classroom is entitled to learn - and in an unfortunate sense, is a possible threat to the educational environment if the ability to control and manipulate is not focused productively, if control issues and self gratification are allowed to give license. Therefore the learning community setting teaches students a sense of responsibility to self and others to be self disciplined and socially responsible.

So we come full circle to apperception that this desire to take the best of all possible roles is the right of a dedicated educator and a necessity for education and for society. This brings us to refocusing on the illustration of the "duck" in education. As we look at the strands presented in this material:

• the process skills,
• the reworking of structure,
• the valuing of the child as inherently impelled to learn,
• the role of the teacher as multifaceted, and the value of a process/relationship curriculum they begin to take shape as a strong cord.

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