I'm taking a Diversity in Human Services class this term of college - I went into the class very excited because it pertains to my major, and diversity is something that I find very important and is something I'm also very passionate about. But I never imaged how much I would absolutely LOVE this class.
My professor's thought on teaching is that a student shouldn't sit in class and take notes to swallow everything that the teachers says, only to spit it all back out for an exam; but that we should listen, with our ears and our hearts, question what is being said, and most importantly - feel.
He believes that in this type of teaching students are able to get in touch with their inner selves, create their own opinions, and discover who they truly are. Now I couldn't agree more! I was so thrilled to hear his perspective on teaching and only wish that more teachers were that way, and hope that someday I will be able to apply this method in my own classroom.
How many people actually know who they really are? This can somewhat relate back to my article about materialism - we often times get so caught up in our surroundings and the outer/visual things, that we forget about what lies within us and not just who we ourselves are, but who others who are major parts of our life are.
I can honestly say that it was during my time in Rwanda where I began to truly discover my sense of self. For the first time in my life I didn't have the influences from friends or family members, I had myself along with a group of strangers who for the most part I was unable to communicate with. I had my own thoughts, my own decisions, my own actions, and my own experiences where I would be the one who was in control of how I let those shape my life. Now this isn't to say that your identity is either something that is lost or found, but more so a process.
Someone very close to me just said the other day - "I always feel like I'm searching for something, like I'm hungry for something more"; and I just thought this was great! So what if you've been able to begin to identify yourself as an individual? Does that mean that you've found yourself and there's no room to grow? Some people say that no matter how old you are, no matter how many experiences you've had, or how much you think you know - you'll still never know it all. This applies just the same to finding oneself - it's important to begin the process and get in touch with your inner self, but that journey never ends; you may find the base of who you are, but as long as you are living you will be growing and continuing to build onto your identity.
Here are two quotes by Tori Amos -
"Some people are afraid of what they might find if they try to analyze themselves too much, but you have to crawl into your wounds to discover where your fears are. Once the bleeding starts, the cleansing can begin."
"If you don't have enough time with your private self to sit down and catch up with the voices inside, then how do you know who you really want to be?"
Take time out of your busy and hectic lives for yourself. Catch up with your thoughts, and remember your dreams. Don't be afraid of who you might truly be, and don't ever lose that hunger for life. Because, "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment" — Ralph Waldo Emerson
No comments:
Post a Comment