In class last week, we had a really interesting conversation about teachers’ roles in the classroom. Should they be the expert and final authority on the subject or fall back and engage in the learning experience? After much reflection on the subject, I think it’s important that the teachers learn to acquire information alongside their students. In doing so, the teacher is setting an example that learning never really ends. No matter what the subject or area of inquiry, the students are learning how to acquire information, instead of just being told what  their conclusion should or will be. By learning how to learn, teachers can breed a new generation of students who are curious and eager to explore what may appeal to them. Working side by side with students leads to a completely different type of classroom. Collaborating and reflecting gives the students the power to channel their potential to be successful individuals. In traditional classrooms, the students are often told how to think, what to think and what the final answer will be. There is no room for human flourishing in this method and it turns the classroom into a place where students blindly follow the instructions to  get an answer the teacher wants. This type of environment does not teach students anything but how to follow the steps and get to a predetermined answer. Teachers should work as support systems in the classroom, there to provide guidance when the students need it but not provide the only acceptable answer. Teachers, classrooms and schools should all present the students with a place where they can learn to acquire information on their own while drawing their own conclusions about the world. One day, I’m confident that our generation of teachers will be able to make these shifts in the field and be able to produce students who love to learn.