The Cosmic Streams and Rhythms IV

Teaching is passing on the culture and facilitating the present moment. It is the relationship between experience and innocence in the classroom. It is an exchange between maturity and youth, knowledge and ignorance, understanding and anxiety.

Teaching is also helping students acquire the tools to question. Students, who are taught a system of critical ideas, can use their own judgment to critically examine the concepts that are being passed on.

Children want to believe. They learn from their peers and the adults around them. They learn to doubt and discern. They cope with disillusionment. They say to their teachers, “Adults shouldn't tell children lies.”

The Principal
by Mary Clark

Venetian blind poses, Venetian blind blues.
A life grew smaller behind them, trying to see through
engulfed in a large leather chair, made of men,
I waded into his ice-sea blue eyes.
What are we going to do with you? he asked.
Throw me back. My father, who art in this world,
outside this school beyond my understanding,
I am a girl-child waiting to be born.


Poetry brings the experience of life outside the school into the classroom. Recently, a student I worked with fifteen years ago, called after a fire destroyed his home. He wanted to know if I had kept copies of his poetry book. Barbara and I found the original mechanicals and printed a copy for the student.

Summer
by Nancy Montalvo

Summer tastes
like a wet, juicy
watermelon slice
running down one’s
mouth as if
struggling
to remain inside
sweeter than an apple,
cooler than ice.
Summer smells like
suntan oils:
musky,
pungent,
promising gold.
Summer sounds like bells
bringing ice cream, as children
fight on line:
vanilla cone
sprinkled with goodness
inside.
Summer brings
excitement
to the children running
through the sprinklers
playing Catch & Kiss
as the others
play Hide & Seek;
drinking each other,
laughing
with the
sun.
Meanwhile
the cool moon
slowly
creeps
from behind
staring
in your eyes,
running
with fright
just to be
on time.
(Streams 9, page 123-4)

Streams 9