The transformation of self-righteous and tyrannical teachers - A POINT OF AWARENESS by Preciosa S. Soliven

(Part I of a series on Humanistic Sociological Research Strategy)

I have written articles which dealt with the legendary pride and anger of teachers. Almost all people who have gone to schools over the world have painful memories of the teachers who constantly disrespected and misunderstood them.

One of my articles on education, Does Your Child Hate the Teacher? immediately provoked strong negative emotions from the readers as it brought back memories of past humiliation, persecution and unjust practices of teachers. It was like a tidal wave that suddenly engulfed the readers. They could not help but recall, "that terror of a teacher" in the sensitive years of grade school or high school, making them shed tears of suppressed anger.

The psychology of self-righteousness

Generally, we adults are too preoccupied with scolding our children. We keep looking for their defective tendencies whether they are preschoolers or grade schoolers or teenagers. "Removing the beam from our own eyes" consist of the spiritual training of the teacher, says Dr. Maria Montessori, who believed that the fundamental problem of education is the conflict between the adult and the child. This does not mean that we must all develop into saints overnight. Rather, it means inner preparation directed not to the acquisition of all virtues, but of those most needed in our relations with children.

There are two sins which tend to distort our true vision of the children. They are pride and anger. Hence, humility and patience are the opposite virtues most needed. Let us reflect for a moment why it is easy for a teacher to become a prey to these two effects.

There is a great difference between an angry man amidst his adult companions and an angry man among children. The former will arouse opposing anger in others. As a proud person, he establishes an unpleasant reputation. In this way, he is kept in check by this "social control."

On the other hand, the adult who lives continually in the presence of small children, is without this "social control." They are so young and inexperienced that they take everything the adult says and does for granted.

Thus, a person in a position of undisputed authority, free from all criticisms, is in great danger of becoming a tyrant. He claims this undisputed authority as his right; and will regard any offense against it –ipso facto – as a crime. In fact, many teachers unconsciously come to regard themselves and their authority in this light. Thus claiming dictatorial rights over the child.

Why educational reform seems impossible

Since the solution to educational reform is psychological, not pedagogical, the social revolution in education does not take place. No progress in educational reform is possible until tyranny on the part of the teacher changes. The teacher does not have to give up her authority but she needs to exercise it in a different way. The solution, therefore, is the psychological transformation of the teacher and not pedagogical solutions in teaching methods.

First step is to purge herself of these defects of tyranny with an act of humility. Dr. Maria Montessori says, "From this humility will be born a new respect for the soul of the child." Once the teacher has made this act of humility, she will no longer look upon herself as someone whose duty it is to mold the growing personalities in her charge. She must regard herself "as one that serves."

Dr. Montessori compares the teacher to "a slave who waits and watches her mistress," ready and eager to anticipate her wishes or to a humble laborer who works at the task of building up the child’s freedom. This is a lowly task requiring minute knowledge and patient attention. However, the child cannot attain true freedom without the help of the teacher. Like a waiter, the good servant prepares the dishes and places them on the table, but he does not take it upon himself to say to the master," You must eat this and not that."

Suggested innovative teacher training for PAFTE

PAFTE stands for Philippine Association for Teacher Education. The 1990 EDCOM survey of all schools pointed to the mediocre standards of so many teacher-training institutions so that CHED had to declare a moratorium on additional teacher-training colleges. Based on our 35 years experience in the very innovative Montessori teacher training, we see the wisdom of employing the formula of a Teacher Self-Formation course. While traditional teachers are taught the old Greek philosophy that the learner is "an empty jar" that has to be filled with information, the Montessori teacher believes that the learner has an invisible teacher already active upon birth. Without any teacher, but an Absorbent Mind, the child learns to speak and walk all by himself. The missing factor in conventional education is the Prepared Environment of work materials. The Montessori teacher masters this so he or she could link them to the child for the child to work with them independently.

The Operation Brotherhood Montessori teacher-training course holds three different programs for the preschool, the elementary school and high school. Each differs from the other since it is based on the unique nature of the three stages of development. This in-house training lasts one and a half years of theoretical, practical pre-service and in-service training. Yearly post-service refresher courses are held.

Transformation of OBMCI teachers

Below are some self-reflections of our Montessori teachers and how they underwent inner transformation.

Mrs. Iluminada Duran – from executive secretary to High School Principal

In 1979, Mrs. Iluminada Duran applied and was hired as executive secretary to me. A cum laude graduate, Bachelor of Arts major in Math from Colegio de Sta. Isabel, she had taught for six years at Sta. Isabel.

Born in Camarines Sur, Mrs. Duran is the eldest of eight children, who regarded her as their substitute papa since tatay (father) was a navy man and only came home every four years for three months. "When I was 11, my second brother was born. I could not go to school before my household chores were done. All of us were reared to do their share of chores." At a regular high school, she worked hard at being an officer of the then WAC, now CAT. In college, she strived to maintain her scholarship.

"I missed teaching. O.B. Montessori gave me the chance however to continue my career when one of the Math teachers had to resign. Dr. Soliven knew I was a Math major so she asked me to take over a class but insisted that I must train first, although I was confident I could teach Math even without the Montessori materials. When I entered the Montessori classrooms, I noticed that the Math materials made the abstract discipline of Math easy and exciting. As early as Grade III, the Long Bead Frame for multiplying four digit problems, into products of millions, was being used. Even the Pythagorean Theorem was introduced in Grade 5 using two metal boards of Geometric insets. Traditionally, it is taught in the Junior High School level.

Thus, I submitted myself to the rigorous training. Mastering the Math materials made me admit to myself that, indeed, these sensorial materials are needed for the children to gradate the various difficulties in learning the Mathematical Arts."

Mr. Jessie de Silva from a Certified Public Accountant to teacher

Mr. Jessie de Silva was a working student in college. He finished a Business Administration course major in Accounting. He passed the CPA Board Exams and soon after was a clerk for five years at Allied Banking Corp. The job was too routinary, so he decided to change career paths. Soon he was hired as Math teacher for grade school.

"In our teacher training, Dr. Soliven demanded that I unlearn all the traditional lessons I had learned in college – as if I had to go back to square one and learn again Mathematics the Montessori way. I struggled to overcome my pride since I felt I had already finished a degree and passed the CPA Board Exams and yet it was as if they were not enough. The Binomial and Trinomial Cubes and the Fraction Insets which facilitate lessons in Algebra as well as the Decanomial Boxes and Peg Boards illustrate the concepts of square root. These materials allowed me to become a child again, experiencing Mathematics in a clearer and more concrete way. Here my transformation began as I humbled myself to master the materials and the Montessori system."

Presently as an accounting teacher to his teenager students, he fully understands that the continuum of the O.B. Montessori high school curriculum is aimed to address the need for economic independence of teenagers. "For 14 years now I still am so engrossed with my teaching profession. Its not far that I will devote the rest of my life at O.B. Montessori. It is my home and it is here where I have found my true and transformed self."

Mrs. Teresa Deang: A former college faculty member discusses the 4 factors which make an ideal teacher

Mrs. Teresa Deang was hired by O.B. Montessori in 1985 as an intermediate teacher in the Angeles Branch. Today she is the High School Assistant Academic Chairman of Angeles Branch.

A model teacher of Physical Education to college students at Angeles University Foundation, she was very self-confident. However, when she began her Montessori teacher training, she realized she did not know that it takes a long time be a good teacher.

"For me, the factors that make a good teacher are patience, humility, love for work and the willingness to share your knowledge and skills. I learned that patience in Montessori refers to a lot of things such as: Patience in working with the materials in order to master them. Patience with the deviated, distracted and disorganized children. Patience with one’s self. It is but human to feel disappointed and frustrated when you can’t seem to realize your goals. You also feel discouraged when no one seems to appreciate or recognize your hardwork. Most often, it is your mistakes that are noticed. I believe that patience in one’s self is seeing the positive side or your good qualities."

Mrs. Elizabeth Peralta: from college of nursing instructor to intermediate grade school department coordinator

Maria Elizabeth Jimenez Peralta, O.B. Montessori’s Intermediate Grade School Coordinator at the main headquarters in Greenhills earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology degree at the University of the Philippines.

She worked as Laboratory Instructor at United Doctors Medical Center (UDMC), College of Nursing. Since she did not see any opportunity for personal and professional advancement in this job, she applied and she was hired at O.B. Montessori. "I never expected such rigid training. I almost backed-out. I could not rationalize why I had to write numerous essays and do personal reflections. But one day I realized that this was the kind of training I was looking for. Dr. Soliven’s conviction was so strong and so different – enough reasons to convince myself that it would make me different, too. I wanted to be different.

"Dr. Soliven’s points of awareness were like bells ringing in my ears all the time. I could not ignore them. I was so afraid of having to recite to her the History of Pre-historic Life of animals and plants leading to the coming of the First Men. My Taglish instruction had to be straightened into pure English. It was a struggle but I learned how to think spontaneously in English. Eventually, I stopped doing a u-turn whenever I saw Dr. Soliven. In spite of being a Biology major, I mastered Geography and History. I really learned to enjoy it and soon I was promoted to be the Intermediate Grade School Coordinator.

"However, my serious fault was keeping silent about the negligence of the department chairman. I was weak to point out his grievous omissions. When he was replaced by a truly competent chairperson I acquired the courage to speak out when needed. I struggled to repair the damage that set back our grade school department."

(Next week: The Parallel Transformation of the Students)

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