Two Years a Teacher: the Human Project
by Olivier Cleynen
My greatest success in these two years teaching physics in high school was called the Human Project. This project came to life at the intersection of several ideas and impulses. First, the search for rituals for emotional connection in the classroom. This is very important in high school, since if you have not done the requisite emotional and social preparation, your teens won’t learn anything. Second, the search for an outlet to share my own accumulated treasures. I have always kept on my computer things that have at once touched and changed me. I think it’s part of my role as a teacher —the only adult in the room— to share bits of culture, in turn soft, frightening, biting, about what makes us humans. And lastly, I had the urge to do something about the idea encapsulated in a quote by Haim Ginott that my high school history teacher Rob Gallagher had shared with us when I was 15 and which I have carried with me all my life.
So, once the school year was well underway, in my 9th grade Physics class, I would take about five minutes at the start of every class to explore something that is not Physics. I would get the complete and silent attention of my students, and we would watch a video or contemplate a photo, and only then we would start doing Physics.
Starting this was an exercise in vulnerability, and I was taken aback at how well it worked. This is one of those things that is difficult to describe and easy to “get” if you just try it. My students sure “got” it. Here are most episodes of the project:
- The Dream of Life — a video stiched to a voice recording of philosopher Alan Watts suggesting: “so then let’s suppose that you were able, every night, to dream any dream that you wanted to dream…”
- A Girl Surrounded by Three Police Officers — the story of Ruby Bridges, surrounding this central photo of a little girl escorted by three federal police officers. Confronting the awful complicity of students, parents and teachers in this event.
- I Was Joking — streamer negaoryx shredding a misogynistic commenter with an elaborate reply, while casually slaying monsters. Reflecting on the boundaries of humor and harassment.
- The Dark Harbinger of Chaos — An extract of a 2023 interview of Pete Buttigieg, an openly gay US politician. He was asked to share his thoughts about working with people who reject him because of his sexual orientation.
- Pioneers — a collection of stories (from my time teaching space engineering) about the first living beings sent to space. They are sometimes funny and sometimes touchingly sad, uncovering some deep ethical (the dog Laika) and political (Valentina Tereshkova) questions.
- Šarūnas Jasikevičius Talks About Babies — the hot-blooded reply of Lithuanian basketball coach Jasikevičius when asked why he let his best player miss a match to attend the birth of his child. Reflecting on the desire and meaning of having children.
- Greetings from Planet Earth — the story of the messages we sent aboard the 1972 Pioneer 10 and 1977 Voyager deep space probes. Each is a treasure to unpack, and each holds a surprise: on the first, NASA self-censored the female anatomy, and on the second, a thoughtful an touching peace message was recorded on behalf of humanity by Kurt Waldheim, whom we later found out was a likely war criminal.
- Andrea Fuentes rescues Anita Alvarez – contemplating an incredible series of underwater photos taken by AFP Photographer Oli Scarff in June 2022. Reflecting on years of preparation and support leading to just one moment where you are the one diving in.
- Debussy, Riding Goofy — just a timeless pause, to relax and give our brains a five-minute, powdery, shallow-sloped break.
- How to Tell Someone They Sound Racist — a pumped-up argumentation by Jay Lema which I have always found to be an intelligent way to approach conflicts. Reflecting on how to address conflicts with teachers too.
- Do the Work — Blank Page by Mary Spender. Reflecting on the grinding that is part of every endeavor.
- Inextinguishable Courage — the chilling story of Witold Pilecki, a Polish WWII resistance fighter who willfully allowed himself to be captured and interned at the Auschwitz concentration camp, then escaped it, then fought in the Warsaw Uprising, only to be tortured and executed by his own fellow citizens in 1948.
- If You Don’t Know How to Fix It, Then Stop Breaking It — the speech of 12 year-old Severn Cullis-Suzuki at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development.
- Ten Meters — the amazing Ten Meter Tower by Maximilien Van Aertryck and Axel Danielson.
- Joy Of Work — the Groundfire Picture film about the rework of the American Writers Museum. Reflecting on the joys that can be brought by work outside of the school context.
- Hardship Of Work — a manufacturing video of Khyber filters. In contrast to the previous episode, witnessing the hardships of work from the comfort of the classroom.
- What Happens When You Are Offended? — Steve Hughes’ Offended stand-up skit. Reflecting on the borders of acceptable and non-acceptable humor.
- Human — an extract from Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s masterpiece Human. I chose an excerpt mid-way into volume 2, which features teenagers.
- Moments — The closing episode is Moments by William Hoffman.
