What I Learned About Learning as a Learner . . .
Sharon Fagan, Chandler-Gilbert Community College

I wish I had thought as much about learning when I was a student as I do now that I am a teacher. Although pedagogy and practice provide the foundation for my knowledge about good teaching and learning, my insight and energy comes from occasional flickers of faces of educators who, through a number of tactics, taught me how to learn.

Their names come quickly to my tongue and their faces focus clearly in my mind's eye because I took away from their classes much more than the content knowledge and skill they offered:

One American history teacher who said, "There is no need for text. We live the impact of history and create it everyday." It seems to me now, that Bob Finkbine knew about the connection between prior knowledge and new understanding. Learning should not be limited to the parcels of publishers.

A high school anatomy and physiology teacher who had us laugh away our fears and anxieties . . . and who let us figure "it" out together. Miss Fangman said little, laughed a lot, and allowed us to find our own ways -- knowing all the while, among us, we would. Learning should be more thrill than pain.

A business teacher who said, "You seem to be good at this. Here are some machines to help make you better (rotary calculator, electric typewriter, key punch reader.) Mr. Hickey knew I was up to the challenge and had confidence I could succeed. Authentic learning occurs through the tools of the real world -- hardware and software.

A French instructor, who, when knowing I broke from French to English in frustration and when verb tenses escaped me, would cajole but insisted "Parle Francais seulement, Madeline!" He made me do it -- but without fear of embarrassment or ridicule. Merci, M. Garcon. Learning is taking risks, accepting challenges, pushing the envelope -- and having a free and trusting enough environment to allow for it.

A behavioral science instructor who turned out the lights, turned on a projector, and "took" us to the world of the Nestilik Eskimo -- without narration or exploration. He helped me leap from "What do you see?" to "Why?" Mr. Sheppard knew at what thinking levels real learning happened. Learning should start with questions. If it does, learning will never end.

A university statistician who announced, "There are only three grades I give: 'A,' 'B,' and 'Incomplete.' And I will give you an 'incomplete' as long as it takes for you to earn an 'A' or a 'B.'" Bob Armstrong apparently knew that not every student's learning is processed at the same rate as another's. Learning should be diverse: It should look differently and will take place at different times for different students and should not necessarily be restricted by clocks and calendars.

A high school literature teacher made a poignant point by giving two tests on "Our Town." One asked minutia-type multiple choice and true/false trivia from the explicit text of the book; the other offered broad statements from the play's critics about how much or little it reflected our town and asked us to opinionate and argue. Mr. Cowie pushed us from multiple-guess to multi-level thinking. Real learning is more concerned with multiple possibilities than single absolutes.

A literature teacher knew her clients well -- honors, self-motivated, and reasonably self-disciplined learners who opened most every class period with a marvelous anticipatory set: "So, based on the reading you did last night, what do you want us to know today?" With such a small and unsophisticated question, Mrs. Russell opened up worlds to her students by empowering them to establish the focus for their own learning. Learning belongs in the hands of the learners.

A writing teacher who let me write one of my most successful and favorite pieces (still) "Does Santa Claus Go to Church?" even when it didn't match the assignment. Mr. Larabelle let me sing with the muses because he knew an important equation for learning: Inspiration + Motivation = Success. Learning is stimulated best by a guide, not a god.

After my own teaching sessions, when I sense my students have been the most challenged, the most responsive, the most successful, I would like to think I mirror all of these teachers.