Who's driving the class bus? The Frankestein Solution

Oscar David Gómez Zúñiga

 A passenger is attempting to get on the bus, but the door does not open and he fights to be in. The bus driver is upset because he has not had a nice day so far. The bus driver drives so fast and nobody knows the direction he is taking. The bus stops five blocks ahead from the final destination and the passenger needs to take another bus to get back to his  initial destination.

The bus driver opens the door gently and takes the passenger to the place he needs to go. The bus driver controls perfectly the steering wheel and the speed of the bus. What’s more, the bus driver knows exactly where to stop and where to get the passenger off   the bus so they can arrive at their destination. 

Does this sound like a teacher and his students?

MY FRANKESTEIN METHOD.

When  we all hear the name of Frankenstein, we remember a legendary horror movie character. Well, in fact, we think of that huge and horrible monster created from old body parts by  scientist Victor Frankenstein and whose name was given to the creature due to his last name. Throughout the story unfolding in   this book, the scientist’s tranquility is interrupted by his creation whose shadow desperately chases him throughout all his life.

 

Monstrously awesome would be to have the perfect formula to teach a perfect class and apply all the methods and techniques successfully with our students. To know the secret regarding immortality  to escape from fossilization and be able to keep alive the knowledge inside us,… that would be incredible. Not to mention,  how wonderful it would be to have the power of being creatures formed from different and solid materials to struggle in any environment and come up victorious. Finally, to be shaped mentally and physically as rebellious creatures to fight against unfair situations concerning our context.

 

I compare my method with the story of Frankenstein because I notice that teachers have certain similarities with this creature. Teachers can be compared in real life with the scientist Victor Frankenstein in the way he works. He uses different old body parts to construct his masterpiece. The scientist uses the best and the most appropriate materials to construct his creation. However, it is not enough to  join the body parts because they are inert ones. Therefore, the scientist uses his intelligence and knowledge to put together all the elements and create life. I compared the scientist with teachers in the sense that teachers use many methods and techniques according the context. After having decided which techniques and methods are going to be used, the teachers use their skills to make those methods and techniques work to bring academic life in students. The theories studied in  the course second language acquisition can be related to the old body parts and the way we decide to use them according to our context.

 

Anatomically speaking about Frankenstein, I see Frankenstein as a strong, big and frightening. Teachers are strong and big as they learn and enrich their knowledge. The fact of being in contact with new processes of teaching and learning, make teachers bigger and stronger every time. The bigger and stronger teachers are, the better prepared they are to face new challenges in our current education.  I relate the word frightening when teachers look terrified at themselves because they notice that after a period of  time, they have not learnt anything at all. When this starts to happen, the big, strong and frightening creature begins to look like a harmless and weak being.

Finally, I mention that in the book it is stated that the scientist’s tranquility is interrupted by his creation whose shadow desperately chases him throughout all his life. I say that teachers’ tranquility is also interrupted by a shadow called technology. Teachers need to be constantly moving among theories, methods and approaches. The need of being updated constantly is a requirement that following us day after day. Teachers are in the need of knowing the latest advances in science regarding the brain, Neuroscience, linguistics, etc. To be updated allow teachers to investigate, experiment and innovate in class which most of the times ends up in great meaningful experiences that contribute to   humankind. The only way to escape  those shadows is bringing some light to teachers´ minds by  constantly treading on the road of knowledge.

 

Personally I say that my method is composed of every single part of the body of the creature. Every single body part has a particular function that works when is needed. So, depending on the movement my creature wants to make, the place where  he is, his physical and mental condition he has, he will decide how to act. In the same way all theories are important and I use them depending on the context where I am, so at that moment I will decide what  is best to teach my students in order for my students to  attain great results.

 

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