Wonder Full Teacher Project
Dr. Peter London and Dr. Virginia Freyermuth have been working collaboratively on The Wonder Full Teacher Project for a number of years. They have published their work in a series of articles for SchoolArts Magazine and have also presented at the National Art Education Association. In June 2008 they collaboratively taught a workshop at Rowe Conference Center in Rowe, Massachusetts and are currently planning a future workshop.
It is their firm conviction that the teacher is the most significant factor in helping children learn in school. Whatever the curriculum, educational resources, societal setting, standards, tests, and even level of funding, they believe the personhood of the teacher is pivotal to the success of education. They believe that the Wonder Full teacher has the abiding conviction that everyone has within them the ability to become a brighter, more decent, more loving, more compassionate, more grace-full, and more richly expressive person than the person they have come to be so far.
Since the teacher is of paramount importance, their interest is this: what are the attributes of a teacher who is seen as a Wonder Full Teacher, a teacher who creates in the classroom an environment in which all learners experience a spontaneous elevation of behavior and whose physical, visual, written and spoken expressions decidedly shift to what can be legitimately termed artistic? That is, there is a greater flow and abundance of ideas, effort becomes focused, a greater interest and empathic regard for all others develops, there is a decided grace and ease of movement, a joyfulness and spontaneity in both thinking and acting blossoms, and forms of expression become richer and fuller. They believe that artistic behavior need not be the uncommon and special behavior of a few and gifted minority.
The teacher who is perceived to be a Wonder Full teacher first by the learners, then by parents and colleagues, can create a learning environment that is literally transformational.
Your Invitation to Participate
Drs. London and Freyermuth would like to learn from you how you describe such a Wonder Full Teacher whom you have encountered in your own life. It could be a teacher from any discipline, a mentor, or any other person who has served in the position of a Wonder Full teacher in your estimation.
- How would you describe the attributes of this Wonder Full Teacher?
- Can you share a story that illustrates this Wonder Full Teacher?
Please send your response to:
virginiafreyermuth@yahoo.com
or plondon@umassd.edu
.
Your insight is greatly appreciated.