As I teach, I project the condition of my soul onto my students, my subject, and our way of being together.
It is part of the work of education to have substantive relationships with your students.
The thing I loved the most - and still love the most about teaching - is that you can connect with an individual or a group, and see that individual or group exceed their limits.
Prior to being allowed to enter the profession, prospective teachers should be asked to talk with a group of friendly students for at least half an hour and be able to engage them in an interesting conversation about any subject the prospective teacher wants to talk about.
I remember the first day of school my first year in the classroom. My stomach churned with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Could I do the job? Could I connect with the kids? Will there be the chemistry to build relationships and get the job done, or will I totally flop?
I miss the classroom and the bit I miss the most is the one-on-one personal interactions with the students, those moments when they surprise you with their insightfulness, or their cheekiness.
To love to teach is one thing, to love those you teach is another.
We've got to fight against bigness. If a school gets too large, you lose an intimacy with the students; they begin to feel they're just part of a big complex. I don't think you can create too well in a big plant. That's why I always tried to avoid bigness in the studio.
Good teachers join self and subject and students in the fabric of life.
We believe Skype in the Classroom will be a milestone in inspiring the next generation of social entrepreneurs and we can't wait to connect students with TOMS partners.
