“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” ― W.B. Yeats
This quote signifies the end of the former curriculum and the introduction of the present curriculum. The filling of a pail is in regards to a teacher standing at the front of the classroom as an all-knowledgeable person ensuring that each student is filled with the knowledge that they pass down to them, and this metaphorical pail is rigid in structure. As in, teachers were creating cookie-cutter students that were designed to leave the school system receiving the exact same education as everyone else. The lighting of a fire, however, is in regards to the modern-day curriculum. Now, with inquiry-based teaching and learning, students can pursue topics that genuinely interest them. In this model, no longer are students confined to the rigidness of a pail, but are allowed to learn freely as if they were the ever-changing flames of a fire.
I selected this quote because I believe it accurately depicts the paradigm of the curriculum when I attended grade-school versus the present-day curriculum. When I attended grade-school as a student, I was taught straight out of a textbook. I was instructed to read a certain section, and do the questions that followed at the end of the chapter. There was no room for questions or debate as the textbook was held in the utmost regard by all of my former teachers. Nowadays, however, textbooks are seen only as a resource, rather than an all-knowing piece of literature. Students, and teachers, now, are encouraged to follow an inquiry-based approach to education. Students can ask questions, do their own research, and come up with their own conclusions with the teacher acting as more of a coach from the sidelines. As a future teacher, and one who is studying and being trained in the new curriculum, I will implement inquiry-based projects wherever possible. I believe this style of teaching and learning results in deeper learning, but it also encourages students to pursue lifelong learning as they will develop the critical thinking skills necessary to do so. If I were to rephrase the quote to incorporate my stance, it would sound something like “education is no longer the filling of a pail, but now the lighting of a fire.”
Call to Action: Truth and Reconciliation Commission Response