Teachers as teachers, not conduits
That so many of our former students have become susceptible to misinformation and disinformation is on us. Enough of us did not impregnate critical thinking in our students, to give them the wherewithal to sort out truth from falsehood.
In defense of my then colleagues, we did not see the need to. Untruths, falsehoods, ‘fake news’ did not enter our classrooms. Our students heard the same information except for rumors, which were often easily disproved. What they knew was what we knew. It was the time with three national TV news channels, ‘trusted’ news brought to us by Walter Cronkite, et al.
Were I in my classroom today, again as a social studies teacher, I would have to spend time responding to the misinformation and disinformation carried into my room. The three TV news channels are now in the background, mostly likely not on students’ radar. They arrive at class having absorbed from their social media in an infinite variety of sources assuming them to be true. Even if they had a critical mindset, it could hardly operate in the blithering onslaught of information scrolling past. No time to deliberate, to wonder. Just look and pass on.
I can only admire my social studies colleagues in today’s classroom. It takes courage to stand up for good, truth, acceptance, care, love amid today’s swirling confusions. Parents screaming at you, insisting you teach what they want for their kids. Politicians advocating for excluding ‘different’ ideas, ‘different’ children. Unruly students, hurt from the pandemic, suffering from algorithms addicting them, feeling isolated from hours alone on their phones. Lack of trust from administrations and boards insisting that you do things their way, instructing you to become conduits, not teachers.
Today, I would say to my colleagues to remember who you are, teachers, yes teachers. Fulfill the ‘conduits’ directives if you must, but remember you are a teacher who educates, ‘to lead out,’ to invite students to bring their presence into the room, to be in conversation, to speak their minds. Remember your room is yours. Close your door, form relationships with your students, teach them to think, invite them to speak up and listen to them, to give them agency. Our democracy needs you.
