Hate, is a word I hardly ever use. That said, I absolutely hated school … from Day-1 to Day-Last. A large part of that hatred falls squarely on the shoulders of many of my teachers. While most were merely apathetic and uninspired, others – a sadly significant number – were quite simply abusive.
In Grade 1, starting on my first day of school, my knuckles were painfully and persistently beaten with the edge of a ruler, as punishment for being able to read and write. Apparently, this also marked me as the weak, bully-able kid in the class. How many can say that they were stabbed with pencils (among other things) during their first year of school … and that the teacher did nothing about it? I would love to be able to say that things improved after that first year, but they didn’t. The pattern, seemingly, was set.
I’m all too aware that most people look back on their school days with fond nostalgia. Many even express the desire to return to those days. Not me! For me, school was a 12-year prison sentence. Twelve years of compulsory boredom, bullying (by kids & adults), uninspired teaching, illogical demands & rules, and feeling trapped for what felt like an eternity. My 12-year, school-goal, was just to finish my “sentence”, without any delays, and make it out the other side to freedom.
Fortunately, as much as I hated school, I loved reading, and I loved learning. I learned in spite of school, not because of it.
In spite of all this, my father was somehow convinced that I should be a teacher. Given my school experience, I completely, and forcefully rejected that idea. Many years later, having studied education, and having taught in multiple adult and secondary school environments, I made my father very happy. I told him that he’d been right; I was, among other things, a teacher. However, the PTS-strewn path to admitting that I was a teacher, took decades, and the teacher that I am, looks nothing like the teachers under whom I’ve suffered.
I love to teach and coach people who are motivated to learn. I love helping people to find and maintain that motivation, and to experience the joys of learning. Over time, I’ve become rather good at it, and I consciously and persistently educate and hone my skills. I’m extremely aware of the need to teach & coach people as individuals, even in group situations. Everyone perceives the world differently, learns differently, and has different outcomes in mind. Therefore, everyone needs to be motivated differently, and taught differently. Even travellers with the same destination, have different departure points, and must travel different routes. The most powerful educational tool is a positive, flexible, personalised learning environment.
I am a lifelong student. I study continually, sometimes in formal settings, but, given my history, most of my studies are informal. I am currently busy with formal, online courses in life coaching and counselling. I’ve taught in multiple settings, including churches, businesses, adult education, high schools, and one-on-one. I’ve taught subjects as varied as theology, life skills, language, various aspects of computing, photography, business, writing, public speaking, and creativity.
I will soon be offering both online and in-person introductory courses in photography and creativity (in a broad, rather than artistic sense). In support of those who complete these courses, I will also be offering ongoing small group and individual photography, and creativity coaching. Later on, I would also like to do the same with writing courses & coaching. Keep checking for updates on when these courses will be available, or let me know that you’re interested, and I’ll keep you informed.
