The Blue DOT Issue 13

Teachers of the
Future
HINDA INA BICAJ
T
he classroom was
always an environment
of frustration, fear and
anxiety - a place that
stripped me of the freedom to make
my own choices and become my
own person. I grew bored with my
voice not mattering or being silenced
altogether. Consequently, I became the
noisy brat who constantly disagreed with
the teachers or stirred up debates. I had
no other choice - it was disrupt or sleep,
but sleeping led to far more trouble and
disruption at least kept me somewhat
engaged!
A teacher in middle school transformed
my relationship with the classroom,
education and most importantly,
myself. One day when I was especially
Ina is a Kosovar Albanian who graduated from Think Global School. She is a member
of Uzina Cultural Space in Tirana where she engages in grassroots work as an active
member of her home community. She’s part of a project implementing a creativity
module with the aim of offering a safe space where kids can flourish creatively.
Ina is committed to challenging illegitimate forms of power and the way we structure
our working and learning spaces, beginning with the classroom setting. Ultimately,
she wants to promote a more joyful education so that kids are happier, more
motivated and better critical thinkers!
compassion encouraged an open and
trusting learning environment where
the students could freely contribute,
take risks, and truly challenge ourselves.
Studies confirm that) students who feel
unconditionally accepted by their teachers
are more engaged in learning and more
likely to enjoy challenging tasks (Makridisengaged,
she invited me to chat with
her after class. I confessed to her that the
problem was that I was overly emotional.
She comforted me by explaining that
my ability to feel so much was rather
admirable, a strength, and that she
always appreciated my sensitivity in class
discussions.
That simple act of acceptance has shaped
me in profound and lasting ways. I learned
to accept and value my emotionality,
rather than repress processes completely
natural to the human mind. I loved that
class. Not only was it stimulating and
intriguing, but the teacher valued what
each one of us brought – the debates, the
sensitivity, and the irascibility.
Her unconditional acceptance and
The classroom was
always an environment
of frustration, fear and
anxiety - a place that
stripped me of the freedom
to make my own choices
and become my own
person.
Botsari, 2001, qtd. in Kohn, 2005). I want teachers of the future to
challenge kids to grow by making them feel heard, supported, and
loved.
I was recently reminded of my middle school experience when
hanging out with kids from a marginalized neighborhood. They
told me how much they disliked school and how they skipped
class because of it. They’d joke about their teachers slapping them
or dismissing them. In an attempt to design a different learning
environment for these kids, my friends and I took on the challenge
of creating an after-school creativity module.
We tried to make the module as much of a dialogue as possible
with those whom it would impact the most. The kids chose the
activities they’d like to participate in and identified what they
wanted to learn. We also included them in decision-making, to
show them that we trust their capabilities and that their voices and
REFERENCES
“Unconditional Teaching (#)”. Alfie Kohn, 2005, https://www.alfiekohn.org/article/unconditional-teaching/.
needs matter. This inevitably meant discarded lesson plans, messy
and loud discussions, and the occasional group conflict. However,
exactly in those moments of perceived chaos, the students
were forced to think critically and cooperate. In a trusting
and caring environment, they learned to resolve disputes
on their own. Allowing students to make decisions and to
take charge is crucial for creating responsible citizens.
I never managed to express my gratitude to my middle school
teacher, Ms. Shayna. That’s why I’m grateful that the kids I work
with give me letters and drawings after almost every session. When
the kids discuss what they like most about the module, they seldom
mention the field trips or fun outdoor learning experiences. They
talk much more about the care and compassion of the facilitators.
As both a student and as a teacher, I’ve realized that what kids
will remember most is not the details of your lesson plans or the
contents of their textbooks, but rather how you make them feel.
ISSUE • 13
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