While reading the different comments on the sites, one which called my attention is a comment which said: "Frank cannot see any more and Rita is starting to see things now".
This comment awakened a thought in my mind about how the two characters developed.
On the one side, Rita. By taking the course and being educated she starts to unfold a sort of bandage she has on her eyes. She starts to see the world around her and the different opportunities she has. She has options and she is delighted to be able to choose what to do with her life and how to move on now. She can choose if she wants to travel to France, have a baby or go on at college. It;s not she didn't have these possibilities before, however she was blind, unable to see them clearly and starting to be educated helped to find these options out.
Frank, on the other hand, has always been able to see different possibilities and choose among them in his life. For instance, improve in his own carrer, grow as a professional, have a permanent relationship. Even though he knew all this, he's always chosen to sink in his own frustration. He has no intention of stopping drinking and although he can see how he 's been able to serve as a tool in Rita's education, he did not change his attitute towards choosing a better life, he just "stopped seeing", he did not want to see beyond his own present, he chooses not to choose anything else.
As a conclussion, from the educational point of view, how important the role of a teacher is having in mind Frank's role in this play!!! He was able to help his student, though he is not able to help himself. How much influence a teacher has on a student! We have seen a positive result out of Frank's professional support in Rita's education. However, taking into account Frank's reality, as all teachers have, I believe it is important for a teacher to be professional enough so as to be able to facilitate and guide his or her students. For Rita willingness to "know" was also of great importance in her own growth and development, but Frank's attitude was not good enough to be able to help other students as well.
All in all, we as teachers should always bare in mind the consequences our influnce might have on our students, after all we are involved in human being's education for a moment of their precious lives and no matter how long that time might be, it should be used appropriately for their and our benefit and never be misused or wasted.
3 comentarios:
You're quite pesimistic about Frank's future, aren't you, Silvia? I, however, feel there's some hope... Now he's seen (in Rita) he can actually contribute to making a difference in the world... who knows? Perhaps he finds the strength he needs to make a "fresh new start" in Australia...
I don't want to finish this comment without hightlighting your final statement: "we as teachers ... are involved in human being's education for a moment of their precious lives and ...that time ... should be used appropriately for their and our benefit". If all teachers learned to see themselves as their students' learners, I believe we'd all be able to give them a better education! 8-D!!!
Let's keep in touch,
Gladys
Yes, I might have had pesimistic thoughts about Frank but WE SHOULD NEVER LOSE HOPE!!! I totally agree with you on both comments, Frank might have a fresh start in Australia and the experience with Rita might enrich his professional and personal life. On the other hand, I deeply believe in what I wrote and I do agree that we need to have feet on both camps and be capable of checking things pout from both student's and teacher's side. One of the great things about this profession is that sometimes you still keep a foot on the student side by being one of them and at the same time we are professionally on the ather side.
That is something positive I PERSONALLY feel about my case because I'm still a sudent working as a teacher. This might answer your question on the previous post. Anyway, not an easy task, who said it would be???? I thought many things connected to critical thinking would be easier about this subject and I was wrong! I do not know up to what degree I've succeeded but tell you it was worth trying!!!! :)
Great point you're making about the importance of being learners for all teachers, Silvia!
The good news is: you don't even need to leave your classroom to become a learner, since you can be your own students' learning just by opening up to them. Of course, the more systematically you can do it (e.g. by attending college, or doing post-degree courses), and the more varied the kinds of learning y ou can experience (e.g. learning another language, taking up a roller skating course!), the better!
See you around!
Love,
Gladys
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