A good teacher relies on a relationship with their students built on trust. Our students will only take appropriate risks and be sufficiently motivated if they trust that the teacher is genuine and dependable.
I don’t care how well intentioned the cause may be, I am not about to pretend, cheat or con my students about anything. If a book I am reading makes me emotional, my students will notice. If it doesn’t resonate with me, I will most certainly not pretend it does:
Teachers should let themselves cry in class when reading poignant stories to help teach children that books matter, the author Michael Morpurgo has said.
Morpurgo, the former children’s laureate and writer of War Horse, said showing emotion in schools when reading sad tales should not be avoided, being an essential part of being a “good teacher”.
Speaking at the Chalke Valley History Festival, where he discussed his First World War novels, he added it was important to let children see stories can touch the adults around them, to help them learn the value of literature.
His novels, including War Horse and Private Peaceful, are known for their emotive subject matters and tell the often distressing stories about the First World War.
Speaking in front of an audience of children, Morpurgo argued it was essential to tell them the truth about life, without patronising them by “wrapping everything up in a little pink bow”.
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Tags: Books, Chalke Valley History Festival, Education, Literacy, Michael Morpurgo, Private Peaceful, Reading, Teachers should let themselves cry in class, Teaching, War Horse
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