“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
Aristotle
Sometimes when we talk about education we lose scope of what matters. Political campaigns and media headlines emphasize numbers: school closures, class sizes, rising costs and grad rates. Numbers give us quick answers, and an easy way to compare schools to one another. While math was definitely my favourite subject growing up, I’m not a fan of numbers when it comes to measuring schools. Of course class sizes, dollars spent and high marks are important, but these pieces of data pale in comparison to what really matters in education.
Let’s take your own school experience as an example. Take a second to think back to your school days. Do you recall the number of students in each course, the cost of your annual school fees or the grade point average of your graduating class? I’m suspecting those are hard facts to remember. If this is the case, why do we so often turn to quantitative measures when we set school goals or measure a school’s performance? Quantitative data is easy to measure but I question whether it should be the goal. When we focus on what really matters in life, we create environments where kids feel safe, supported, connected, inspired, and excited to learn.
What happens if I change the questions about your education. This time, what if I ask you to tell me the name of your favourite teacher, the best class you ever took or the connections you made with others. I bet these questions are much easier to answer. When I look back I remember my grade 10 science teacher Mr. Sandy Hill. Our class always looked forward to the weeks when science would fall in the last block on Friday, as those blocks were dedicated to lessons in life. He taught us that ‘hallway’ was the most important subject, and used the power of story to teach us valuable lessons about friendship, compassion, and life in general. In grade 12, I met my favourite teacher of all, Mr. Rich Chambers. And here’s the irony – I hated the subject he taught. Yet I signed up for Comparative Civilizations so I could hear his stories, and experience what it was like to be in his class. Every morning he greeted each of us at the door with a handshake. He brought humour and energy to every class. He had high expectations and he cared deeply about each and every student. Attendance wasn’t something he had to worry about as a teacher as his class was so exciting that no one wanted to miss it.
Personally, I will never forget a particular April morning in my grade 12 year. I had a terrible fight with my parents and I had been crying most the night. When I woke up my eyes were puffy so I wore my sunglasses to school. Mr. Chambers was at the door as usual, waiting to greet each student. As he shook my hand he exclaimed “hey – nice shades!”. I lifted my glasses so he could see my swollen eyes. He gave me a quick pat on the shoulder and told me we would chat soon. What happened next was perhaps the best ‘teacher education’ I have received. He did not single me out or draw any attention to my bad day. Instead, he started the class by saying today was the day we were going to have mini conferences with him in the hall to talk about our progress. He put a video on relating to the curriculum and began to call each student out for individual meetings. After two or three students, it was my turn, and he was able to discreetly talk to me about what was going on in my life outside school. I will never forget that moment where he seamlessly transitioned his lesson to discreetly help me though a difficult time. Teachers like Sandy Hill and Rich Chambers truly understand that the most valuable lessons we learn in school are lessons in life.
Now that I’m a parent I think about what I want for my own children. Here’s what I want their school experience to be like:
- I want them to develop a love for learning where childlike wonder develops into an inquisitive nature. Where they are just as excited to raise their hand in grade 12 as they are in kindergarten.
- I want them to understand how they learn so they can continue to apply their skills to new content throughout life.
- I want them to become socially responsible citizens who care deeply about others and take the time to know people’s stories.
- I want them to have rich experiences in and out of the classroom where they connect with community, explore a vast array of topics, and start to discover their own passions.
- I want them to play. I want them to feel safe enough to take risks and embrace their creative spirit.
- I want them to find balance with skills in technological literacy for a fast paced world yet equal skill in self reflection, mindfulness and comfort in silence.
- I want them to be loved, appreciated and understood. I want them to experience synergy and contagious energy that develops when they truly connect with others.
- And more than anything I want them to always be happy. I want them to understand that happiness does not come from getting what they want, but rather from giving to others, expressing gratitude, being active and reflecting on who they are becoming.
- I want them to learn with passionate educators who believe in educating the mind as well as the heart. This video, which was beautifully created for the Heart Mind 2013 Conference captures this perfectly. http://www.educatingtheheart.org
As an educator, I want this for my children and for your children. Do I also want them to get good grades? Of course I do. I’d just rather we focus on what matters most. When we create learning environments where our children can thrive, the numbers will become a by-product of more meaningful and significant goals.
Hopeful Learning: Kristi Blakeway 
Kristi,
What a wonderful, thoughtful post!
I wrote this a while back:
“As long as we measure schools and measure students with tests that do not appreciate and include measuring a student’s ability to express these senses, we are measuring the wrong things.
I have an idea: First we will measure a poem with a word count… Then we will measure compassion with a ruler… And finally we will measure the making of a work of art with a stop watch. Then we will add the numbers together and tell you how well your child is doing in school.”
However, when I reflected on the post, it seeped with sarcasm and negativity. Your post here says so much in such a beautiful way.
Thanks for sharing!
ps. Great video! Seems everywhere I go these days I’m seeing or hearing Shane Koyczan ~ Hope future Shanes have a few teachers like your favourites!
Thanks Dave! I appreciate your comments and RT! Love following your blog.
Way to go Kristi.
The education battle currently raging is complicated by the fact that people don’t seem to understand what’s really important about schools. I agree with Dave; you say it well here, without the negativity that marks some of our writings…