Dana Backus Zarnoveanu, Questfield: "A good teacher should follow children's curiosity and guide them to discover things on their own."

What is, in your view, the impact of a good teacher on the future of a child?

A good teacher should follow a child’s curiosity and help guide them to discover things on their own. It is my hope that teachers can give children the tools to find things out, as well as the courage to do it independently. A good teacher will make each child feel as though someone believes in him or her and that he/she is worthy of the teacher’s time, love and attention.  A good teacher should also be able to meet every child at their own level and give them the opportunity to succeed themselves, each in their own way. A teacher should also not be afraid to make mistakes. For one, it shows that teachers are humans too. It also shows that mistakes are normal and can be corrected. It also can lead to an opportunity for students in the classroom to give feedback on how to fix a mistake.

Which are the key attributes and competencies of a good teacher?

A good teacher should have lots of patience. They should take the time to get to know each one of the children, what makes them tick to spur their learning and what makes them fall apart so the teacher can do the best to avoid such situations.  Along with that, it is beneficial if teachers are able to think on their feet. Even though the routine or schedule may be the same each day, things can happen that can alter the schedule or derail the focus of the children. Teachers need to be able to think quickly, not act too fazed and to continue on with the safety of the children in mind.
Most importantly though, teachers need to be able to connect with each and every student. Children need to feel trusted, important, safe and capable in order to learn. A teacher should hopefully have communication with the caretakers of the children and build trust with them as well. It is helpful to pass along information that may impact a child’s learning, such as a parent being out of town for a conference, a death in the family or anything else that may have a big impact on the child.

What will the teacher of the future look like?

Hopefully a teacher in the future will be doing the same things as today. Hopefully in the future there will still be student-teacher interactions. In an ideal world, the walls will cease to be and learning will take place outdoors. Outdoor schools and nature playgrounds will be more prominent as everyone chips in and takes action to care for the planet.
In reality, I think that technology will be more prominent. For many children, that is good. Many children thrive and learn quickly and easily this way. I hope that if this is the case, teachers are trained to pick out the children who will thrive in different environments and set them up for success by suggesting Forest Schools or art school or some other hands-on approach and with less screen time.
All in all, it is essential that teachers keep up with the times, the trends and follow what they believe in most and strive to work in an environment that feels like home with coworkers that feel like family to them. A stressed out teacher does not make a good teacher.

What elements of the education - as we know it today - do you think will stand the test of time?

I think that teachers will still be acknowledged on how to offer differentiated learning and keep their classrooms inclusive and able to meet the needs of all students. I hope that classrooms will become even more inclusive of everybody and not just tolerant, but accepting of everybody as well. I hope that teachers will be able to have the tools, books and continued education to empower each and every student that comes into their classroom and to adapt their lessons to match each child’s learning journey.

How do you see the role of technology in education - now and in the future?

I do think that technology can be used for good. I also think that technology should be used sparingly. Technology can be a great learning tool, as well as a way for people to connect. If you are learning about trees, but are not able to go to a forest because you’re in the city, you can watch a video about it or do a video chat with someone who is there. You can also put the video camera in a student’s hand and have them use that as a tool for creative expression and for showcasing what they have learned. I know when I was in school they always said we won’t always have a calculator in our pocket, but look at us now! We can pull out our phones and quickly google anything or add up prices to see how much of the total bill you owe. I know I am guilty of quickly googling an answer or looking for a picture when my child asks something. My brother has an app where you can take a picture of a tree and it will identify what it is. These are all great resources, I just hope that children will still learn to think for themselves and have the opportunity to creatively solve problems without the quick fix of an app or google.

One classroom experience you will never forget

I have had a lot of different experiences in different types of classrooms. My most memorable experiences are when the unexpected happens. When we are outside on the playground and it starts raining and no one has rain boots. Do we go right inside? No, we stay outside and dance in the rain and let it kiss our cheeks. Sure, some parents are not too happy at the end of the day, but they come to school the next day with a spare pair of clothes or prepared with rain boots just in case. A child finds a butterfly outside.  Do we ignore it? Some do ignore it, but some follow it and watch the wings gently flap and observe where it lands and try to ingrain the image of the wings in our memory. When we get back to the classroom we try to find books and continue chasing the curiosity and wonder that comes from the experience.

What was your first day as a teacher like?

I always start my first days of school with my stomach a balled up mix of excitement (I get to actually meet and interact and get to know my children, I am so excited to be in my classroom that I decorated, etc), anxiousness (I hope everything goes right, I get there on time, etc) and hope (I hope this school year goes slow enough for me to enjoy the little things but fast enough that the stressful times seem like blips). Oh, and a lot of coffee and extra snacks stashed in my bag (usually that I never have time to eat or drink).

What was your first day at school like as a child?

I had pretty much the same feelings all mixed up inside as my first day of teaching. I was excited to show off my new wardrobe that my grandma and I had shopped for at Nordstrom rack each summer from Kindergarten-7th grade. I was excited to get to know my new teacher and to see my friends again. I was excited for art class and library time. I had only a tiny ball of anxiety as a result of my shyness and the fear of being called on and having to speak in front of the class lingered. Mostly though, I was full of blissful and innocent excitement

What is your role model in the area of education?

I am a big fan of nature. I have worked in outdoor education and helped out at nature playgrounds. It is amazing to see what can be done when you take the walls away and immerse children in nature. There is a big difference between crawling up and around a big log covered in moss and ants and bugs and crawling up and around a big colorful metal structure. I prefer the log, as do most children I have encountered.

A book you would read over and over again

I have a few books that I read over and over again. Most recently, it is “How to Raise a Wild Child'' by Scott Sampson. It has opened my eyes (yet again) to new ways (and reaffirmed old ways) of looking at educating children in this world that we live in. It gives ideas on how to connect children to nature and help them foster a love of the world around them. “Balanced and Barefoot” by Angela J. Hanscom is similar and pushes for unstructured free play outdoors saying that it can be a remedy for all kinds of social, emotional and behavioral problems. I have highlighted the suggestions in both and have typed up ideas to print out by my front door!

Who is Dana BackusZarnoveanu?

Dana BackusZarnoveanu, though most people call her "Miss Penny", is an American living in Bucharest, Romania. Working alongside children has been her lifelong passion, though the setting has changed throughout the years. She has worked as an Art Teacher at summer camps, Educator at Children’s Museums and Zoos, Outdoor Facilitator at an Outdoor School, and as an Early Childhood educator. She loves it when children light up and they discover they can do what they thought they couldn’t. She loves to give children opportunities to do things that they aren’t used to doing (messy play, building forts or fairy castles in the forest, caring for animals, etc). Currently she has found her work-home at Questfield in Bucharest, Romania, where she feels at home and trusted to do things her way and connected to the people she works with and the children she plays alongside.

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