I recently had the privilege to lead an activity about worms and soil health with Benton Elementary 2nd graders. It truly was a privilege to be there. I felt honored to be in classrooms that were eager to learn and attentive to what I was teaching. I think the best part of the whole experience was not teaching the kids, but the kids were teaching me. I gave them little nuggets of information, but they took those nuggets of information and transformed them into a learning experience for both of us. They asked me why the picture of a worm on my lesson binder had eyes when worms do not actually have eyes (this is something that they learned in the activity). I have given this lesson many times, but they were the first to point that out. I thought to myself, “Wow! They remembered what I taught them!” The students also suggested that maybe I should use a slinky to demonstrate how a worm moves to get from one place to another. This is a concept that can be hard to understand without seeing it. Why had I never thought of using one? This experience made me realize that being a teacher is not just about teaching, but it is about being a student too. As an educator, my ultimate goal is not to have children memorize facts, but it is to give them the skills and mindset to be lifelong learners. Sometimes it is easy to forget that children are innately wise and capable beings. When we remember that, only then can education begin.
