Who Is A Constructivist Teacher?

Seldom in our lives do we encounter an individual or two that impacts our lives in ways that stretch far beyond what we conceived possible. Throughout my life, however, I’ve been incredibly lucky enough to encounter not one, two, or even three, but a handful of these extraordinary individuals. These people have not only ingrained themselves within my memory, but have also helped to shape the type of person that I would like to be in my life. Often times, accomplished careers are guided by the wisdom and generosity of these selfless individuals, known to most of the world as teachers. For me, my high school AP literature teacher is one of these very distinct and memorable teachers who has had an overwhelmingly positive effect on my life since

Looking back on it however, it seems to stand that the teaching style of Hallberg rests on a bed of constructivist philosophy. A philosophy that implies students will benefit more from a class that makes them contemplate as opposed to one that force-feeds facts. A part of being an excellent teacher, I believe, has to do with allowing individuals to learn for themselves. An educator should not be the human equivalent of an almanac; they should read like the pages of Woolf and Faulkner, great writers that offer no clear and precise answer but rather ones shrouded around philosophical

Often times it’s dry and dense and you feel like you should be the one that earns the paycheck. It’s uncomfortable and stuffy, you spend most of your time reading books you don’t fully understand and then writing towards specific prompts you didn’t know existed within the novel in the first place. The class was ingenious like that, which certainly provides a testament to her extensive teaching skills. To be a good teacher, one must set and hold standards for their students, and within these standards is one for students to challenge themselves and their learning. I am a firm believer that being comfortable leads to complacency, and this path to laziness doesn’t usually end up leading to a rewarding destination. The only time I feel like I’m truly learning is when I’m uncomfortable with what’s being asked of me and feel as though the confidence I have in the subject that I’m working on is threatened. Throughout my educational experience, I have been constantly trying to keep myself off balance as much as possible. I loved being a student, but being a student meant walking into jungles when I knew my compass wouldn’t work and didn't know where the path would end up or where the lions lurked. Being with Hallberg made me grow to appreciate that fleeting danger. I believe what made Hallberg as effective as she was in the subject she taught was her knack for introducing risk into the course- If only to keep her students