The art of teaching

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.
Albert Einstein – German-born physicist (1879 – 1955)

“…to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

Albert Einstein could not be more precise. Time has passed since the first teacher and first students were born and we are still dealing with the challenges of the supreme art of teaching with a goal to be ever reached: awaken our learners joy in creative expression and knowledge. How modern and up to date it that? Provided that we have been all teaching with love, care, self-motivation and professionalism, we also have all been willing for that moment in our teaching when our students will stand up or raise their hands and speak up with joy, proudly of showing (and almost showing off) their creativity and knowledge. Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator, once said that teachers must be able to bring about epistemological curiosity in their students. Likewise, Rubem Alvez, another brilliant Brazilian educator, claims that a good teacher will teach nothing but the will to learn, the curiosity to discover, to look around and dive into de details of life. A teacher for him has to find joy in teaching. Similarly and of course very humbingly, I may say that teachers who seek professionalism and who have found their joy of teaching (which most of the times comes prior to professionalism) will have their work acknowledged because students will never forget them and their lessons.

Today is teachers day and I want to say: congratulations my beloved educators!