A Teaching Moment

 

 

A teaching moment is an opportunity

When learning can occur,

You may argue that is all the time

But I will not necessarily concur.

 

I will tell you why I disagree

After four decades in my chosen field,

Every day may be fishing day

But not on every day we succeed.

 

A teaching moment is a specific time

When a specific learning can occur,

And when the learner is not ready

That teaching must be deferred.

 

And that is the reason why

Learning must be age appropriate,

Readiness is the educational term

That with this we associate.

The alert teacher must be able

To discern this special time

To make the best of the time or event

To impact the learner’s mind.

 

For since we learn by association

That event will stand out

And that same event will be the trigger

When that learner is in doubt.

 

Thus, COVID-19 has occasioned

Many a teaching moment

But we have dropped the proverbial ball

At many a critical instant.

 

Unlike the consistent blacksmith

That strikes when the iron is hot,

We have allowed those moments to slip

Every time the ball was dropped.

 

The authorities have occasionally erred

And so too has the church,

Not to mention the profoundly wise

And our many, many experts.

 

The proffered lessons were fundamental-

Nothing like rocket science,

But both rich and poor and high and low

Showed considerable defiance.

 

Consequently, as is often the result

When we miss that specific teaching moment,

A lot of learning ground is lost

And the effort is less proficient.

A teaching moment is an opportunity

The teacher must eagerly accept

For when we ignore such opportunities

It results in much regret.

 

Stewart Russell © February 22, 2021