It’s a simple idea, one I came across in a book on Alaska – a Japanese photographer’s book. I had the opportunity of meeting Tomoaki Akasaka last week in Osaka, Japan. It was a lovely meeting. It is a quote from his book Akasaka Tomoaki Photographs in Alaska: 1996 -2006.
‘These are not my words, these are the words of my ancestors. This is why we get together to talk. Don’t be afraid to talk about spirits.’
These words have made me reflect about teaching. Having seen a recent article on individualised learning, and the focus on computer education – I can’t help but feel that we have under-recognised the potential of interactions within the clasroom/training room. If you have ever had people working together in exciting, creative and immeasurable and surprising ways – you will understand what I mean: there is extraordinary potential for rich experience – for the spirit to fly. If you haven’t then it is really easy to see learning as individualised (strangely) within an environment that is social and rich in its interactions and potential.
I am not a luddite – here I am researching on the computer and utilising and valuing individualised learning – yet still I can’t help but feel that there is so much under-recognised in education: surprise, magic, the immeasurable, the unknown: how things come together in the most unexpected ways. It is time we recognised the spirit in education – when interactions can be spiritual. I can’t help but feel we undersell ourselves so easily. Learning, when we really look at it, is best driven by deep emotions. The question: do we really look at it? How much are we underselling our students?
Inclued 
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