That Aristotle Quote

If you've been around education for any length of time, you've seen it:

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all" - Aristotle

Whether it's really by Aristotle or not (my guess is no), there's some truth behind what sounds like another edu-platitude. People can easily memorize or "learn" without actually being changed. It's possible to know all the facts and feel no empathy or compassion. And sometimes, it's possible to force "learning" in the shallow sense onto students while actively hurting their hearts, while damaging their love of education and learning and knowledge.

I'm gonna be honest: this summer has been brutal. Summer classes are always annoying, something about doing school work while not teaching just feels wrong. They're a fact of the masters degree program I chose, so it's my own fault. But my current class isn't just miserable because it's August. It's killing my love of learning, of music, of being a student. I'd do almost anything not to have this class poison my mind. But it's a requirement, so I'm trudging through, day by day and week by week. In 8 days it will be over, and I'll be forever changed in a way that no student should ever be changed by a class.

It hurts my heart to be in a class where only music by white males is valued. It hurts my heart to know my university's requirements privilege this class steeped in oppressive practices over much more important, meaningful material that would help me be my best for my students. It hurts my heart to know that the hours I spent on homework will be reduced to dismissive feedback and a numerical grade that seems entirely arbitrary.

Those who teach can have such an influence. They can do so much good or so much harm. They can use positional authority to support those who are marginalized, or to further hurt those already struggling. They can respond to a struggling student with compassion, or with reactionary anger. It hurts to be on the receiving side of harmful educational practices. It hurts to spend hours on pointless assignments. It hurts to get negative feedback delivered in a blunt, abrasive way. It hurts to know I'm expected to suffer silently, to suck it up and struggle through without making waves. It hurts to cry in frustration over a course that cost me over $3,500 but provides little support or encouragement.

My heart is hurting. I'm exhausted. I'm not yet in a state of mind to give 100% for my students. Fortunately I have some downtime to recover from this traumatic "educational" experience before I'm back in the classroom. I'll carry memories of how much harm this class has done me, and pledge never to be a teacher who has that impact on students.