Freedom in the Classroom

Freedom to teach Freedom to teach Freedom to learn and grow Freedom to learn and grow Rules without relationship equals rebellion Rules without relationship equals rebellion Boundaries Boundaries

Create the most favorable conditions Create the most favorable conditions Teacher is a stimulator and motivator Teacher is a stimulator and motivator Teacher excites and directs Teacher excites and directs Student is an investigator, discover, doer Student is an investigator, discover, doer Good teacher focuses on students, not what he/she is doing Good teacher focuses on students, not what he/she is doing What’s important is what students do What’s important is what students do

Different world today Different world today Culture kept kids within certain boundaries Culture kept kids within certain boundaries Movies, music, and television encourage rebellion Movies, music, and television encourage rebellion Schools: where a lot of rebellion acted out Schools: where a lot of rebellion acted out Teacher is not free to create conditions favorable for inquiry Teacher is not free to create conditions favorable for inquiry

Boundaries with appropriate consequences Boundaries with appropriate consequences Not power struggle, anger or frustration, lectures or threats, but love and logic Not power struggle, anger or frustration, lectures or threats, but love and logic Love allows students to grow Love allows students to grow Logic allows students to live with the consequences of their choices Logic allows students to live with the consequences of their choices Solution to their problems begins with them Solution to their problems begins with them

They have to make the first move They have to make the first move Students understand logical consequences of their mistakes much better Students understand logical consequences of their mistakes much better Consequences not focused on relational consequences like anger, guilt, shame, condemnation, or abandonment Consequences not focused on relational consequences like anger, guilt, shame, condemnation, or abandonment

Teachers should be mentors to students Teachers should be mentors to students Two extremes “best friend” or “control freak” Two extremes “best friend” or “control freak” Best is somewhere in the middle Best is somewhere in the middle When friendship came first passivity resulted When friendship came first passivity resulted When relationship started with respect activity resulted When relationship started with respect activity resulted

In other words boundaries equal freedom In other words boundaries equal freedom Students must understand there will be appropriate consequences Students must understand there will be appropriate consequences