For Mr Smyth and Form 7 History

Well, I am writing my first assignment for the course I have started. It is one of those fluffy - 'write about an experience as a student and draw lessons from it' tasks.

I wasn't looking forward  to it, as I was stuck and I struggle to write with authenticity in tasks like this. I find them a bit contrived... but once I really started to think of a time when I was a student and how it had impact on me, there was one real go to moment.

Form 7, History with Mr Smyth. Maybe my favourite class at College. One that I had talked about my friends with over the years and still laugh at.

I had a nice trip down memory lane and when I got writing, realised what a massive impact this class - the people, my friends and the teacher, had on me.

Thanks for being awesome classmates. I am lucky to still count some of you as close friends.

To Mr Smyth, you grumpy, opinionated, National Party voting, outy belly buttoned man. Thanks for being my teacher.

Thanks for changing my life.

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One particular episode of teaching and learning has had particular relevance in shaping, not only my own beliefs in teaching and learning, but also that of the career path I would eventually take. As a History student at Mount Maunganui College the teacher, and the course itself, would have a powerful effect on my world view and those of my class, but would also serve to demonstrate the dynamics of the teacher and student relationship. 

In terms of the teaching and pedagogy of the class, we were introduced to and engaged in effective debate and discussion. Throughout the year our teacher created an environment conducive to debate. Not only did he choose an environment where he got his students from out behind our desks physically, he worked to do this mentally. His effective use of questioning, moving from different perspectives and his insistence that we develop and defend our response, shifted us from simple assertion to dialectic. Debate became involved and drew in others ideas and opinions. The teacher responded to easy platitudes and generalisations with challenge, which invited response, humour and heated exchange.  

The learning context contributed to the exploration of our own beliefs and was an effective compliment to this pedagogical approach. The context was focused around 19th Century New Zealand History, which initially we complained bitterly about. We were not interested in our own stories and were thirsty to find out about the world around us. A single critical incident radically challenged this complacency and doubt. We were collectively complaining about our year's subject to a relief teacher, who duly listened to our angst about the relevancy of New Zealand History. The teacher then responded passionately, challenging our viewpoint; the ignorance and paucity of our own knowledge about our country, our cultural prejudice and our socio-economic position in society. This was a direct affront to my own worldview. I did not see myself as ignorant, middle class and I was proud of my own Maori heritage, yet there was sting in her words. That one incident forced us to re-evaluate our beliefs and confront how we understood our place in our culture and society. It enabled us to open our minds to an entirely different perspective of New Zealand, a country we thought we knew. We were able to approach our study of this context with an open mind. 

With pedagogy that helped us into this space of discovery, challenge and justification, our exploration of the learning context became exciting. We found that we were just as thirsty to find out about who we were. The class became a re-examination of how we learn and what we learnt. 

What is so powerful and why has it remained such an important narrative in my own teaching practice, is that this teacher and class demonstrate key lessons and issues in the formation of my own philosophy of teaching.   

Firstly, there was a shift in the pedagogical locus of the classroom. This was the first time where I felt the power dynamics of learning tip from teacher to student. There was acceptance and encouragement of student led discussion. Often we would argue amongst ourselves for long periods of time, while the teacher would moderate and facilitate. This student-centred approach to learning, where I was engaged as the leader of my own learning was a dramatic departure from what I had come to expect. A student centred approach to learning became a key motivation in my own teaching practice. 

Also, this class taught us about academic resilience and relationships. We had to negotiate between the personal and the conceptual and learn how to build arguments based on what we knew, in addition to how we felt. It was not simply our interpersonal dynamic that was examined but also the dynamic of the teaching relationship. The lesson I take from this is the complexity, depth and delight of the role of a of teacher. Our teacher was very different to most us: in age, background, and, politics. He enjoyed goading and challenging us. He revelled in our difference and so did we. Despite our difference and sometimes outright disagreement, we had a collective sense of trust and integrity. This class showed the importance of the dynamic between teacher and student and how, despite diversity in perspective and background, the essential nature of trust in forming meaningful learning relationships. 

Furthermore, this was a crucial time in my own personal development and understanding of the power of perspective, teaching and social justice. It was a class that encouraged me to articulate who I was and what was important to me. It was the foundation of my understanding of social action and change, and furthermore, the recognition of the cultural and historical tradition of these movements in New Zealand. It would be the beginning of my own interest in social justice and as a passionate advocate of New Zealand history. 

As young people ready to finish compulsory education we were impatient. We were for ready for interaction and a shift from the didactic, industrial model of schooling we were so familiar and dependent on. We were also complacent and arrogant in our comfortable perspective and worldview. We were challenged, albeit with support, clever facilitation and in an environment of trust; we were pushed. Therein lies the powerful lesson for me as a teacher; it is the profound influence that you can exert on the identity and future of your students, that is equally inspiring and frightening at the same time. 

This teacher influenced my identity and how I viewed myself. It shows the ability of a teacher to affect social change through the teaching and learning process. This year had a profound impact on my future and career path.It was then I settled on my desire to become a teacher, a teacher of New Zealand history. The impact that this teacher had on my own life is powerful and serves to illustrate the unintended consequences of teaching. The strongest and most lasting lesson I can draw from this experience is the power of the 'unintended consequence', which is the privilege and the responsibility of being a teacher.