 |
| Signature |
 |
| Water Pump |
We all have heard stories of the water pump and the crisis in Helen's life at that moment that brought about the rapid and dramatic insight that fueled her thirst to move on and learn 30 or so more words that day. What we hear about less is the brilliance of the Teacher.
This was not the "Miracle" that started the tremendous growth, the miracle was the Teacher's insights early in her approach to Helen. The actual beginning of the story is in Anne Sullivan and her victory over her own blindness. The foundation that took a blind girl from a poorhouse and put her in a school for the blind and nurtured her to valedictorian and placed her with Helen at the age of 20.
Anne Sullivan went into the Keller home and defied the authority of the father, in he name of progress. She took a child who was out of control and first set out to teach obedience and rules. It was this first step that led to the water incident, the word progression and the eventual resultant Helen Keller, college graduate and hero to the world.
Anne Sullivan is portrayed as the Teacher, and if I could emulate her insights and decisions on her own limitations half as well, I would consider myself a great and fair follower of her moral and intellectual prowess.
She had the insight to take the child out of the chaos of home and set rules, "Obedience" as she called it. She saw a child of 7 that was developmentally about 2 and so started to treat her as such.
The story is touching, the Teacher is the element that made the pieces fall into place. Stood up for her student and when it was apparent she could not advance the child any further, sought help and placement.
Helen Keller was a brilliant and amazing person. Anne Sullivan was the catalyst that brought a chaotic child into a model for overcoming disability.
Anne's key to this was simple observation, self reflection from her past, self awareness of her limitations and the stamina to continue to work with others without jumping ship. Anne was needed by Helen throughout her life, even when the Teacher was more the support system and the continuity of a presence of positives.
This chapter did not teach me about Helen as much as it exemplified the internal qualities of a true teacher. Always know your limits, teach to the mental and not the chronicological age and when you have maxed your abilities seek help. Look at yourself daily and ask- do I really know what to do next and might consultation be the next step?
Helen Keller on the State Quarter of Alabama.
 |
| Helen and Anne (Teacher) 1988 |
I think this idea that the teacher plays (or at least can play) a central role in the development of the child is an important consideration to bring with us as we enter the classroom. But, as your blog makes clear, this does not happen by accident, it occurs through determination, hard work, and introspection. The challenge with this is twofold for me: 1) what if we are not a good match for our students (Anne and Helen were a good match, but who's to say Anne would have been an amazing teacher for all students) and 2) just as we can have a positive impact on the lives of our students, so can we have a negative impact. How do we ensure that our teaching is beneficial to all? Or, does it not have to be?
ReplyDelete