A heartfelt thank you to teachers across America for their unwavering dedication to the next generation.
Dr. Jeff Goldstein, Center Director
National Center for Earth and Space Science Education
http://ncesse.org
John Boswell
Symphony of Science
http://symphonyofscience.com
Symphony of Science Remix
Keynote Address “Science – It’s Not a Book of Knowledge … It’s a Journey”
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Conference
March 2011, San Francisco, CA
John and I created this video to herald in the new school year. Right now, in this very moment, we wanted to poetically and passionately reaffirm to teachers why they went into teaching, and for the millions of teachers across America, recognize their selfless and noble dedication to lighting the way.
To download the audio track, and continue the journey, with essays and other videos, visit Dr. Jeff’s Blog on the Universe http://blogontheuniverse.org/sos
On Twitter: @DoctorJeff (http://twitter.com/doctorjeff)
A special thanks to the National Science Teachers Association for providing the video footage of the March 2011 Keynote Address.
We would also like to thank the following teachers and organizations for thoughtful suggestions and images of joyful learning.
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Birmingham North City Learning Centre, England
Fairmount Elementary School, Carol Fraser, photographer
Gemini Observatory
Houston Symphony, Jami Lupold, photographer
Pearl Hall Elementary, Building Cultural Bridges, Jami Lupold, photographer
Kathleen Benditt, Janice Harvey, Louisa Jaggar, James Jordan, Jennifer Kelly, Stefanie Long, Colleen McIntyre, Sandy Montgomery, Gary Patterson, Pat Smith, Pam Whiffen, Cathy Williamson
Teaching is the eternal bond between young and old that is at its heart–joy.
-drjeff
Lyrics—We’ve Got to be That Light
Every generation must pass on
The wisdom of the previous generations
If we don’t keep the next chain connected to the ones that came before it
It’s all gone
And who’s the glue between those chains?
It’s you, it’s you
This is a sacred trust
As educators and parents
A sacred trust
We’ve got to be that light
We’ve got to be that light
That shining light that guides the way
We’ve got to be that light
That shining light that guides the way
A classroom is a sacred place
It’s not a room in a school
It’s any place
Any place where a teacher helps a child
Patiently and artfully
In their journey
In this sacred place
We must nurture the gift of a question
In this sacred place
The teacher lights the way
This is a sacred trust
As educators and parents
A sacred trust
We’ve got to be that light
We’ve got to be that light
That shining light that guides the way
We’ve got to be that light
That shining light that guides the way
We have to ensure
That testing serves education
We have to ensure
That education does not serve testing
We as a nation now
Are teaching to the test
We as a nation now
Are beating all of the joy out of our classrooms
The book of knowledge is not written in our genes
What’s written in our genes is the journey
We should be nurturing that gift of a question
We should help frame that pathway to an answer
The teacher’s the guide
It’s a student’s classroom
It’s a student’s classroom
They are remarkable explorers
This is a sacred trust
As educators and parents
A sacred trust
We’ve got to be that light
We’ve got to be that light
That shining light that guides the way
We’ve got to be that light
That shining light that guides the way
Love it!! Thank you @drjeff!
You have my love from Britain, dude! Brilliant video!
@NCESSE and who are you?? John and I??
@NCESSE think there’s a tendency to teach to the test in other countries as well (like my native country Sweden) so you might keep that verse in the world version as well 😉
Hey, I used to go to Pearl Hall and know some of those kids in the video!!!
I wish there were more people that genuinely didn’t care about money. People who truly only cared for others and passing on knowledge. When you’re a teacher, after you’re gone, the students you taught will sit upon your shoulders and push forth the world.
@SpazzK I just saw your comment, and it greatly moved me.
We are part of this remarkable legacy of human exploration with every generation standing on the shoulders of generations past. And our teachers and parents are charged with lifting our children on top of those sturdy shoulders. It is beauty in the human condition that goes un-noticed in plain sight. Are teachers not heroes?
For you: The Art of Teaching essay. See the blog post referenced in the “Show More” section above.
-drjeff
@NCESSE Just read The Art of Teaching essay and I loved it. I believe I’m going to have to track down some teachers of my own now, thank you.
my four year old sister is going into school soon. i’ve done all i can think of to raise her with curiosity, passion and skepticism. i hope her teachers nurture that, i hope her teachers understand the most sacred duty they hold, to feed the flames of endeavor in each and every boy and girl they come into contact with.
@SpazzK that sounds like the future man. We are still just a race of monstrous killers and until the world wakes up and finally understands that we are ALL ONE. HUMAN’s. No matter where you go it is the same just a different language is used. We need to destroy ourselves first and what is left is what continues and hopefully those that are left will cease any and all violence toward others and create a world where money and greed cannot be had because money will no longer be the driving force.
I just happened upon this video following a link from the musical creator. As a fan of Symphony of Science already, I was moved to see this video. Not just for it’s music, but the message. I agree that teachers need to stop teaching to a test, as a test doesn’t give what is needed. The question is what needs to be answered. After all, we need to ensure that curiosity does survive education. Sometimes asking the right question and getting the wrong answer can lead to amazing discoveries.
This is brilliant. Like others, I got here from Symphony of Science. The world needs more teachers like Dr. Goldstein, who are inspired by helping students learn, and who can speak about education passionately, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
I’m a 16 year old sophomore, my teacher posted this video on his site. It really moved me and got me thinking about how under-appreciated teachers are. It really made me appreciate teachers soooooo much more, they don’t do it for the money, they do it because genuinely in their heart their path in life is to teach. I would like to thank every teacher from the bottom of my heart for lighting my path. Class of 2014!
@SpazzK
What a beautiful comment.
Thank you for dedicating this to those who teach. They often get forgotten or blamed for the failings of a system that isn’t designed to help the students.
For people who get paid a fraction of what they should based on hours and amount of education, work though a system that doesn’t help anyone, and care for students while trying to inspire them they are people who dedicate so much to the next generation.
This is phenomenal! I just posted it on my FB page! We have to ensure that testing serves education and that education does not serve testing! Teaching to the test is truly taking creativity and learning out of the classroom. No Child Left Behind Act-BLAH! 🙁 I just want to get back to the day that children are excited about school and learning! Teaching to the test is not the answer and it never will be! Thanks to all of you teachers for what you do on a day to day basis! We Appreciate YOU!
Same video with Spanish subtitles, for those who can’t speak English: youtube.com/watch?v=OUqlmk3KB4o (El mismo vídeo con subtítulos en español, para los que no hablen inglés)
Short video at its best! The message, the music, and images move me deeply. One proviso: we teach best when exploratory freedom is encouraged within the context of the overarching story — as given and always updated by science — of who we are as a species, our kinship with other species, and how the vast universe is our intimate home. This is the epic of evolution. And the video artist’s Symphony of Science series is a supreme expression of how that Big History can best be given.
If only more teachers were more like Dr. Goldstein. Unfortunately, at least the US’s schooling system (I dare not call it an educational system) is so far corrupted and gone as to almost anti-educate its pupils, designed in such a manner as to crush the individuality and creativity of our kids. By the time they get to college, all of the spark has been crushed underfoot.
I hope this changes soon.
Not only Eastheticaly pleasing. Fundamental. Remember that your work extends more than America. And by that you are now a citizen of the world. In that way i suggest no restrictions only to America. This song could be more wonderful given to teachers all over the globe
Im spanish and I loved it
This is going in my playlist on my iphone along with all the symphonies of science.
Carl Sagan would be proud of this video
Great Video. Love the format, love the message. Teachers and Parents are guides, no more, no less, But a great guide changes a child’s life forever by allowing a child the time to slow down, look, explore, question and wonder. Acceleration is the new national norm and it does not allow creativity and a love of learning to flourish. Love the ‘light’ image because it speaks to us guiding our young.