A review of Tottochan: The Little Girl at The Window
An
Utopia
A Dream of A
Child
Reading Totto-chan:
The Little Girl at The Window is like peeking into the utopian school life
of a child. While I was reading the book, I couldn’t help myself to compare
Totto’s life at Tomoe school with my own experience as a young learner. I was
being raised by the conventional standard that told me to sit down most of time
while I was at class. I was dictated to follow the general standard that my
teachers have said. I was one among the multitude. So, knowing that there was a
school that really free kids to explore is really an enlightenment. Somehow,
I’ve envied Totto’s luck to be educated by unconventional standard. I’ve
imagined if I was her classmate, that would be a lot of fun to explore and to
learn through playing or enjoying nature. However, there are three insights that
I have learned through reading the book.
First of
all, I am interested with chapter ‘Eurythmics’ which tells about the music
lesson that was taught by Mr. Kobayashi. Here, the headmaster did not just to
teach students about the music knowledge but he also trained the students’ physical awareness by learning music through senses training, particularly kinesthetic. One of his statement in
this chapter has really captured my attention:
Having eyes, but not seeing beauty; having ears, but not hearing music;
having
minds, but not perceiving truth; having hearts that are never moved and
therefore
never set on
fire. These are the things to fear, said the headmaster.
How true is the statement! The conventional standar
curriculum has only taught the kids to master a new knowledge but lacking in
appreciating beauty. The students are required only to know yet they have never
been trained to develop their esthetic senses. The tests given are only testing
about their knowledge about a new material but never leave trace in their
hearts. This quote has gone deep into me since I have been the product of
schools that only taught me how to know instead of to master a skill or to appreciate the beauty.
How many students will appreciate the beauty of a poem or a music piece? I
think not many. I think what Mr. Kobayashi had done is what we know now as an
MI (multiple intellegences) learning. Mr. Kobayashi taught the students by
developing their senses. Each student had different way and style in learning.
By developing their senses, Mr. Kobayashi tried to reach each of the students
who had unique styles of learning. As a teacher, I learn that a teacher should
be aware of the differences of learning style and use some of methods to meet
with each unique learning styles.
Second, there’s
an interesting method that Mr. Kobayashi has applied in the chapter “Chalk”. He
didn’t use a rigid method to teach music. He used unusual method of using chalk
and floor as the blackboard.
During music periods in the Assembly Hall, the headmaster would give each
child a piece of white chalk. They could lie or sit anywhere they liked on the
floor and wait, chalk in hand. When they were all ready, the headmaster started
playing the piano. As he did so, they would write the rhythms, in musical notation,
on the floor. It waslovely writing in chalk on the shiny light brown wood.
There were only about ten pupils in Totto-chan's class, so when they were
spread around the large. Assembly Hall, they had plenty of floor on which to
write their notes as large as they wanted without encroaching on anyone else's
space. They didn't need lines for their notation, since they just wrote down
the rhythm.
He let the students to learn and have fun. He let the
students to express themselves and enjoy the music during the music class. I
believe this method is more effective in teaching music for young learners than
a rigid rule for music class. Moreover, by using this unusual method, he also
taught his students to learn about consequence of an action. After using the floor
as their blackboard, the students must clean up their mess. The process of
cleaning the floor had developed the habits of appreciating the things and
taking care the properties.
In this way Tomoe children learned what trouble cleaning off graffiti could
be, so they never scribbled anywhere except on the floor of the Assembly Hall.
Seeing many graffiti on the public walls, I think the
failure of our education is teaching about the consequences of each action. We
have weakly trained the students about
consequences. We have granted many facilities but forget to train them how to
maintain the facilities. No wonder, we have seen many graffiti on students’
chair and desk or even walls. The students just know that they shouldn’t
scratch or draw on school’s properties, but never learn the consequences of
what they have done. Teachers are too troubled in giving materials but forget
to teach the students a simple matter. Therefore, I believe teachers should
also train the students not just knowledge, but also instill a good value and
habit.
Last but not
least, the chapter “You’re Really a Good Girl” has really warmed my heart.
Tottochan is a very active child who often gets into troubles. For some strict
teachers, Totto’s behavior could be considered as a trouble maker. She was even
expelled from her first school because of her behavior. But, Mr. Kobayashi said
that she’s a good girl. A contradictory right?
“You're really a good girl, you know.”
That's what the headmaster used to say every time he saw
Totto-chan. And everytime he said it, Totto-chan would smile, give a little
skip, and say, "Yes, I am a goodgirl." And she believed it.
I believe Mr.
Kobayashi was aware with Totto’s antiques such as making her pigtails stick out
behind each arms, or when she hung herself and pretended she was a piece of
meat, or when she jumped into cesspool. No matter what, the headmaster kept
saying that she’s a good child. He didn’t say that Tottochan was a bad child
that kept causing troubles. He had a clear view that Tottochan was a good
child. This view was not biased by her antique behaviors, as he simply saw
Tottochan the way she was. A child with a good heart. Somehow, the headmaster
tried to point on her strengths instead of her weaknesses. He has repeated the
words as an affirmation for Tottochan and somehow the words have become her long
last trigger to believe in herself. I believe the words “You’re really a good
girl” has made a great impact to Tottochan’s life and determine her journey of
life.
I think, if Mr.Kobayashi has done
the opposite treatment, maybe Tottochan would have grown up as a low confident
adult and she would have never been the successful host like she’s been now.
Mr. Kobayashi’s confirmation words to
Tottochan has become her anchor to conquer the life. Wow! How simple words from
a teacher would determine the journey of a child! I remember the part in James
3:
Not
many of you should become teachers, my
fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly... With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father,
and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. (James 3:1-9)
In James chapter 3, James has warned believers of the
power of tongue, especially to teachers. James understood that teachers have
power to rebuild or to destroy a child’s life. Irresponsible negative teachers
will destroy a child’s confidence and characters, but positive wise teacher know
when to praise and to correct the mistakes. I don’t know Mr. Kobayashi’s
belief. But somehow he understood this truth. He trained himself to say positive
things for every child. He corrected the behaviors, but he didn’t destroy the
character of a child. He corrected the wrong doings, but he didn’t crush the
curiosity of a child. He appreciated God’s image in each child. I believe as
Christian teachers, we also should be the examples and motivators for our
students. We should find each child’s strength and guide each child to find
God’s image in them.
In
conclusion, Tomoe school is a child utopian school where the students can express themselves freely based on their
uniqueness. The school is the cool and fun place for studying. As a result, the
studying time is very enjoyable and that will develop the habits of long life
learning. I believe if we can adopt some of the principles and make our schools
enjoyable for our students, the studying time will be more effective, and our
students will be better students. I think if our students can say that they are
enjoying the studying time like Tottochan, our goal has been fulfilled.
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