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I Get It!

This poem reflects on the fragile difference between “knowing” and “trying to understand.”

Through repeated questions, it gently unsettles certainty

and invites us into a shared process of learning—

with children, with others, and with ourselves.

 

“I Get It!”

 

Do we really understand children?

Do we really understand teaching?

Do we really understand learning?

Do we really understand the world?

It is true—we do not really understand ourselves.

 

We think we understand children.

We think we understand teaching.

We think we understand learning.

We think we understand the world.

It is true—we do not really understand ourselves.

 

To the extent that we only think we understand,

children’s hearts drift away.

To the extent that we only think we understand,

education is carried out half-heartedly.

To the extent that we only think we understand,

we underestimate society.

That is all we are—

no more than what we merely think we know.

 

Do we truly try to understand children?

Do we truly try to understand teaching?

Do we truly try to understand learning?

Do we truly try to understand the world?

It is true—we do not really understand ourselves.

 

The more we try to understand children,

the more we begin to understand them.

The more we try to understand teaching,

the more we begin to understand it.

The more we try to understand learning,

the more we begin to understand it.

The more we try to understand the world,

the more we begin to understand it.

And even ourselves—

 

we begin to understand, the more we try.

To understand children

is to come to mutual understanding with them.

To understand teaching and learning

is for children themselves to come to understanding.

To understand the world

is to share dreams with children.

To understand ourselves

is, perhaps, to come to understand

what learning together truly means.

 

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