RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEARNING

Chapter 2.4 Responsibility For Learning

“A person cannot teach another person directly; a person can only facilitate another’s learning” Carl Rogers Are teachers responsible for a students’ learning? Are we responsible if a young person is not able to or doesn’t want to learn to juggle? Or is it the child’s ‘fault’? Whose responsibility is it to learn or not to learn? This is a difficult question, without an easy answer. But we can agree “ ” that this responsibility is not one sided. Paulo Freire, in ‘Pedagogy of Oppressed’, adds another dimension, describing the pedagogical act as the power dynamics between the student, the teacher, and the content. In previous chapters we saw that content can support the teacher in giving meaning to the lesson, and providing a gateway to creativity and problem solving. We also discussed how the first role of the educator is to create a space, a community, and a process that supports the learner’s particular needs. All of these factors contribute towards developing a sense of responsibility for learning on the part of the students, who are, needless to say, at the centre of the whole process. Learning should not be imposed upon or handed to students. It is something they have to do for themselves in the end. For this reason, from a Learner-Centered perspective we can say that teachers are responsible for their students learning to the extent that they provide the support and opportunity to learn. It is our responsibility to provide the student with the environment, the knowledge, the belief and the support to overcome the enormous obstacles hidden within every learning path. In a circus class this means intentionally shaping a culture conducive to collaborative learning, in which there exists teacher-to-student and student-to-student support. It means creating a community where each learner is respected and treated holistically, and able to function as independent, autonomous learners. It means students playing an active part not only in the learning process but the lesson planning process too: choosing which assignments or techniques to practice, establishing participation policies and rules, agreeing deadlines and setting personal and group goals in the short and medium term. Learning is fundamentally a social process. We all need the emotional and intellectual support of others to help us overcome barriers that prevent or limit learning. This is where educators come in. Whether school or circus teachers, educators are responsible for supporting others in their learning. Let’s look at some tools and techniques to support this sharing of responsibility.