Guest Teacher Blogger – Winner of the 2012 Sopris Learning Blog Contest!

By Michelle George

My last blog extolled the virtues of Mary Poppins, and how her nannying lessons can be applied to our world of teaching. When we left off, Miss Poppins was in the nursery with Jane and Michael. The three were looking at the mess of unmade beds and piles of toys strewn around the room. Jane and Michael have already fallen head-over-heels in love with this antithesis of a nanny, but it now appears the party is over. The kids know the nursery is a mess and are keenly aware they should be getting some work done; they just don’t want to do it. 

It’s just like school. Our students arrive each morning with the understanding that the goal is to learn something. Intrinsically, they know learning will take effort, and that really doesn’t sound like much fun. Bring on Mary Poppins! She looks at those suspicious little faces and tells them, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun and—snap—the job’s a game!” What a radical notion. Cleaning up shouldn’t be fun; school shouldn’t be fun. It’s work!

I still remember the recurring skit on “Saturday Night Live” in which a grumpy old man assaults his listeners with horror stories of his youth, always ending with the refrain, “And we liked it!” True, school should be rigorous and challenging, but that doesn’t mean it must be a boring, joyless grind. The notion is true that if one chooses a career one enjoys, going to work can be a delight. While I don’t always spring out of bed at 5 a.m. with a smile on my face, I do enjoy what I do. In particular, I like the students I teach and the idea of learning something new each and every day. Why can’t we provide that type of experience for our students? We can!

I don’t have the magical gifts of Mary Poppins, but I do have access to some pretty cool real-life tools. The advent of technology has helped make learning accessible, creative, and exciting. I can find videos and digital demonstrations on practically any topic imaginable. I can help students master tools that can help them overcome their own limitations—from reading and writing to understanding and creativity. 

For example, kids without strong fine motor skills can use a keyboard or dictation software to clearly communicate their ideas. Impaired readers can use software that reads the text to them. And, even budding artists can find a myriad of tools that can allow them to express themselves to a real audience. Now, that is fun!

What’s more, my students are no longer limited by my finite knowledge. With guidance, they can learn to explore vast knowledge on any topic imaginable. But, like Mary Poppins, I need to be close at hand to keep them safe. Newfound knowledge can make a person overly confidant and sometimes irresponsible. Jane and Michael needed Miss Poppins’ experience to evaluate their fresh power and rein it in before it overwhelmed them. Similarly, educators need to be prepared to guide learners in determining what they really want to learn, evaluating sources for validity and reliability, and developing procedures that help them drink from the well of knowledge without falling in and drowning.

And, that is just what Mary Poppins does, too. She takes the children on various adventures, introducing them to new people, places, and ideas. They experience fantastical realms in chalk pavement pictures, witness firsthand the laws of physics while having a tea party on the ceiling, and learn about compassion and perspective by looking through a new lens at the old bird woman and their father. Wow, Mary Poppins rocks!

We can attempt to do the same. Try inviting students into some of your favorite works of fantasy, and empowering them to discover their own. Reveal the wonders of science by jumping in and experiencing it firsthand, and help students (and ourselves) look at familiar issues with a different set of eyes. I think even Burt would enjoy coming to school if the teaching style were more like that of Mary Poppins.

Yet, by the end of the movie, we realize that Mary Poppins, too, is a short-timer. As educators, we only borrow our students for a little while and then send them on their way to summer break and the next grade level. Mary Poppins gathers her courage by reminding her umbrella and herself that, “Practically perfect people never let sentiment muddle their thinking.” Just like her, we tell ourselves that we shouldn’t get too attached to these amazing young people who will move on without us. And, just like her, we fall in love with them anyway. Now, all I need to do is find one of those flying umbrellas.