My question stems from the position I formed as we began this course. When we read the news or browse social media we’re often given forecasts of a catastrophic future. Whether it’s due to climate change, or the ‘wrong’ political party taking power, or a new armed conflict which has sparked. This catastrophic future is often used as an instrument to stimulate change, or so we’re told.

“If we don’t do something about the climate now, then we’ll pass the point of no return.”

“If we allow this party to get elected then the country will end up unrecognisable.”

Such rhetoric, while aiming to motivate, can paradoxically instil a paralyzing sense of helplessness. They leave me feeling as though I have no agency.

In an education setting, I have seen a number of secondary school students who felt this same helplessness, this same lack of agency, and this then seeped into what they considered doing with their lives. This fear of a hopeless future limited their dreams. This observation led me to seek out a foundation of hope, believing it to be the key that opens a learner to new possibilities. In forming this position, I intentionally avoided fear as much as possible. But maybe I was wrong.

As I took my place at the starting line for the half marathon in Glasgow last Sunday, with 10 minutes to go until the start of the race, a wave of fear swept over me. In the rush to leave on time, I had forgotten to drink the sugary sports drink I had prepared that morning. All I could think about was that I was going to either run out of energy along the run, or dehydration would slow me down, and all the training I had undergone would have been for nothing. The bell sounded and we were off, but I couldn’t shake this fear from my head. I ended up carrying this fear with me the whole race, until, at the 12th mile marker a ray of hope broke through. Just 1 mile left! It looked like I was going to make it. That ray of hope flourished into a burst of joy – not only did I make it, but I beat my previous record.

As I walked home, I let me head and my heard sift through what just happened. I surpassed what I thought I was capable of – not on the road, but in my mind. I thought I was done for – that I wouldn’t have been able to make it to the finish line because of my careless mistake, but overcoming that showed me that I had more in me than I knew.

Perhaps fear does have a place in education – not as a tool of catastrophizing, but as a catalyst for developing resilience, within the realm of adversities and frustrations.

There are further point to develop in this thread of fear, but I’ll let them ferment further and see what they give rise to in further posts.

[Featured image is from Nike’s Find Your Greatness campaign.]

Is there place for fear in education? / Books & Bots by is licensed under a

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