Archive for the ‘learning’ tag
Taking Time To Play
Today’s photo is different from the usual fare offered here. The photo was taken with my camera while my wife and I were on stage with our students, singing. Sometimes it is important to simply “play.” I use music as part of my teaching of English as a second language. It is about motivation, authentic language and having fun. This is vital as I found out yesterday when one of these students asked me if the end of the world was near. The fears are high with all of the events of the past two weeks. The question was asked in terms of the often heard end of the world talk surrounding the Mayan calendar.
My response? Well, I have to admit that I don’t believe in any of these predictions. Life happens, shit happens, babies are born, people die, people play. I don’t hold with an exterior dark and evil other that will wipe out humanity on a particular calendar date. For me, such beliefs are projections of the collective unconscious. Holding these beliefs is more about being defeated than being vitally alive. So, to answer the question of my response, I told them that it was superstition and was not truth or fact. With question period finished I taught them a new song, an exercise in listening to discover the words using only their ears. We play together and learn together knowing that there are too many days where learning and life will be painful.
