Lesson in Humility

I was pretty nervous before coming here about how the other science teachers would perceive and respond to some girl from the US coming and trying to implement all her American teaching techniques and labs. I worked really hard to keep my suggestions to a minimum in the beginning and simply teach my own classes according to my student-centered, hands-on way. I have been so blessed with wonderful colleagues at the school and specifically the four teachers within the science department. Of the four, only one has had any appreciable training within the field of education and none of them had done any practicals (hands-on lab activities) either in their secondary science education or during their higher education. They had simply been taught everything on a theoretical level. Needless to say, practicals were not being done because it is difficult to improvise with materials and do activities that you have never experienced yourself.

I was pleasantly surprised and excited when they were really interested in doing and learning how to implement many of the activities. Specifically, the teacher who teaches Integrated Science was very interested when she saw the JS3 students doing an acid-base activity using basic household materials such as various fruit, soap, baking soda, bleach, etc to test the pH values with a pH meter (Thank You OLLU Grant!), blue and red litmus paper. I told her I’d be happy to write up what I did and give it to her. She said, “No, I want to DO it!” So, we got out the materials that we’d just used in class for her to try. She was enamored by the pH meter because she had only read about such devices before, but never actually seen one and when it gave her a numerical value for pH, she was delighted. Then, when we got to the pH paper, she was telling me the definitions about how red litmus paper turns blue in a base, but she had never actually taken a slip of the paper and dipped it into a solution and SEEN it change! She was giddy with excitement!

When we were done, she was SO incredibly grateful for showing her the new practical and looking forward to implementing it! There was not an ounce of pride or irritation that I was showing her something that she didn’t know. I feel that oftentimes in the US, I am reluctant to appear ignorant about certain things want to prove my abilities…especially to other science teachers. However, by feigning understanding or boasting about what I do know, I am only limiting what I can learn from others around me. I was humbled by my friend’s unassuming and willing attitude and hope that I am able to emulate that mindset as I join a new staff back in Madison, WI…(hopefully…we can all be praying that Madison Metropolitan School District wants to hire me as a chemistry teacher!)