For a Theoretical Frameworks of Education course in my first year of my Bachelor of Education degree, we were tasked with finding and writing about a quote that tied to our personal teaching philosophy and we would incorporate this into our future classrooms. I chose a quote from the Polish-British mathematician and historian, Jacob Bronowski:

This quote notes the importance that students are able to question, to play with, and grapple with the tough questions of the universe. Though Bronowski is writing on the topic of the sciences, I believe that this can be applied to any topic with which we find ourselves teaching. Bronowski is stating that students should be able to bring a novel and playful questioning to learning, rather than merely taking the word of books and teachers in a simple A+B=C fashion in which we worship and set in stone the “facts” of life. Instead, it wants students to question and dissect these facts to not only further their own understanding but to further all understanding of the topic.

I would model this teaching in my classroom by allowing students to do just that, to question everything to be able to take apart the meaning of the lessons and find understanding in them rather than just expect them to memorize facts and figures, and if there’s not the time for that or it’s not something that I know then guiding students to the sources that can provide those answers. As well I think it’s important to embrace that “ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence” and allow students to play, allow students to get their hands dirty and embrace their learning in a messy fashion. As well as allowing students to be ‘wrong’, instead of punishing them not getting the right answer helping them mold their work in the right direction until they get the proper one rather than just marking them wrong and moving on.

Bronowski J. The Ascent of Man. British Broadcasting Corp.; 1973. Accessed March 18, 2021. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat03106a&AN=tru.a74870&site=eds-live&scope=site