>My own experience with teaching psychotherapeutical diagnostics is
>written up in the self-comment for the symposium in MCA 1 (1/2) 1994,
>pp 90 f. We used a specially produced video, and loosely structured
>discussion with back-reports from the discussion groups. And, of course,
>role playing, psychodramatic tools, etcetera...
>
>More fun and fascination (f&f) into lectures, yes !
>
>-- Arne.
Fascination is the right word. At the times when I am an optimist - and I
used to be a very stuborn one for a long time -- at those times, as I said,
I am always sure that you can turn any boring, insignificant and hateful
activity into an intersting and facinating one. When we are faced with
constrains and coercion, and who isn't, this is the way to be, to laugh and
to overcome. As a teacher, I was often (not always) in that unfavorable
position described by Dewey - to teach large groups of students. As a
student - I also was often in a position to be in lectures with large
numbers of students. And that is a constriction both to teaching and to
learning. I am absolutely convinced that the best learning takes place in
gamelike or palylike activities, Activities which can fascinate. (Ask me
why, as you said in another posting, and I'll answer).
There is a memory I have, which convinced me that you can make almost
anything facinating - if you chose to do so. ("I can't believe that!" said
Alice. - "Can't you?" The Queen said in a pitying tone: "Try again: draw a
long breath, and shut your eyes."). There was a traffic cop in Belgrade, at
the time we didn't have traffic lights (can you believe it?). His job was,
as you can imagine, to stand in the middle of a crossroad and let cars pass
in one direction, then in another direction, and again in the first
direction, and so on... for 4 hours at the time every day. Now that is a
boring job, do you agree? Well, this cop, became an attraction. People
actually came just to see him. The came like to a theater: He didn't just
raise his arm, turn 90 degrees stretch his arms away, stand a little like
that, then raise his arm again, turn... like all other cops. No, he
PERFORMED this like a dancer! He put such elegance, such grace and such joy
into his movements, such politeness and courtesy to the dirvers... his hands
in white gloves were like wings of a butterfly... His turns were sweeping,
smooth, gliding... One has to be poetic to convey the images and feelings
this man in a uniform performed.
So... to me it became a symbol for fascination: if such a job can be turned
into an art - why, a teacher's job could be turned into a symphony!!
And I am sure all those "hundreds of "lower" or "higher" teachers" are doing
exactly that: putting a dance into their constricting and difficult
jobs...believenig "six impossible things before breakfast".
Ana
_________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Ana Marjanovic-Shane
151 W. Tulpehocken St. Office of Mental Health and
Philadelphia, PA 19144 Mental Retardation
(215) 843-2909 [voice] 1101 Market St. 7th Floor
(215) 843-2288 [fax] Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 685-4767 [v]
(215) 685-5581 [fax]
E-mail: pshane who-is-at andromeda.rutgers.edu
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