Organic Teaching

The strongest theme that emerges from "Teacher" is the importance of using an organic approach to teaching in meeting the needs of children who are expected to adapt to the language and customs of a new culture. Sylvia Ashton-Warner utilizes an organic teaching method in teaching the reading and writing of English to Maori children. Organic teaching is based on tapping a child's own inner vision for the initial words which serve as the basic building blocks of learning. As part of this process, the children select their own first words which stem from their own experiences and culture and therefore are most meaningful to the children. This approach provides the basis for an education that will grow and flourish from that familiar beginning.

Sylvia does not invent the organic approach to teaching but rather adapted it for her use in teaching her Maori students. The importance...