To Teach- William Ayers Chapter 4 'Building Bridges'

"THE BRIDGE FROM CHILDHOOD IS LONG AND COMPLEX, BUILT BLOCK BY BLOCK" 

This quote from Chapter 4 struck me because it cannot be true enough, and directly relates to every individual's life and his/her process of maturing and becoming an adult, a functional, independent and competent member of society. People say that children have brains like sponges, they absorb everything they see and hear from their surroundings and the people closest to them from infancy, and form their character accordingly. There is a process however through which this happens. An infant must get the appropriate examples from his parents in order to become a capable toddler, then be introduced to the stage of early childhood, adolescence, young adulthood etc. until he becomes an actual independent adult. The blocks that this quote talks about must be laid out accordingly in order for this to happen and ensure that the individual develops properly. It starts at home from the parents, who raise the child from day one, and provide it with the necessary "tools" in order for it to survive and grow and satisfy its everyday needs. So initially the close family environment plays a detrimental role in making sure this happens, there is no question about that. What baby can survive without immediate care, love and affection? However, the next step of familiarization with larger societal groups and establishment within a larger human environment would be schooling. From preschool  up until college, the schooling system and the individuals that make it up (teachers, students etc.), in combination with life at home provide each individual with the "building blocks" he needs in order to mature appropriately. If you think about it, teachers are like our second parents and our school has forever been like our second home. Almost half of our days from about age four are passed within the school walls. And there is a reason for that. Our teachers are there to help us use our "blocks" appropriately  so that when the time comes, the structure we've built with the blocks will a) not collapse and b) help us move forward in life. People sometimes tend to forget what an important role teachers have, and how careful they have to be to ensure that they help their students develop so that they can one day become successful members of the harsh society that they will have to enter. From the moment a preschool teacher tells a child not to pull on his friend's hair, to the moment a first grade teacher shows someone what it means to spell out a word and make a sentence by combining these words to the college professor who talks about finance, or biology or literature, every one of these lessons is there to serve the ultimate purpose. Of bridging the gap between childhood and adulthood. It is funny to think about it, but a teacher's job is very delicate. Instead of having one child or two children at home to give "building blocks" to, he must give the necessary "building blocks" to new children he must familiarize with every year. And that must be scary, because a teacher is who these children, who are trying to cross the long and complex bridge of life, always look up to and trust, for some things even more than their own parents. I know I have, and I am sure at some point in their lives everyone has to some greater or lesser extent. The teacher thus, must be careful, help the child build his bridge just like the parent does. They work together in a way. But, as I previously said (and as the quote says) the blocks have to be laid out very carefully and delicately, or else the bridge may collapse.