Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

Introduction

            Students can learn declarative knowledge through the Discovery Channel.  Students can learn how to type and how to do basic math problems using educational computer games.  Despite our society's movement toward automation, I don't feel that the teaching profession is threatened.  This automation is healthy competition that should remind us not to be automated ourselves, but rather embrace the following three concepts.  Teaching is the act of challenging students to profoundly transform themselves, or to engage in deep change.  Teaching in our society is a democratic endeavor that challenges students to put the groups' needs above their own and feel empowered to make changes in their lives and their communities.  Teaching is also about compassion and the fomentation of relationships between all members of the class.  This emphasis on the human experience of relationships and personal growth will not be replaced by automation.

Deep Change

             Unless both teachers and students can clearly see that they have not "arrived" at any final destination in their growth as learners, readers, critical thinkers, public servants, or members of a community, then the learning community of the classroom is doomed to stagnation.  I must challenge students with curriculum that is authentic and that critically analyzes the world in order to overcome the inertia of the status quo.  Bruner (1977) corroborates explaining that students must engage "the great issues, principles, and values that a society deems worthy of the continual concern of its members" (p. 52).  I must plunge students into the moral and ethical quagmires of our times and help them locate themselves in the greater society while forging their nascent identities.

          In my classroom students began the year with the beginning of history, creation stories.  We analyzed creation stories from around the world and situated these stories in the present debate of intelligent design.  Another challenge students must face is Schwab's (1978) claim that "not all truths are equally true" (p. 229).  We must therefore teach the discipline of history so that students can see its limitations.  For example, I engaged my students in evaluating the claims of writer Gavin Menzies that the Chinese sailed to America 70 years before Columbus.  After reading excerpts of his claims and the criticism of fellow historians about his scholarship, the students took a stand about whether these claims are true.  By approaching history in this way, I skirt the "correct answer compromise" that Gardner warns us of and teach concepts deeply rather than getting caught in the content race of superficial knowledge that gives correct answers on standardized summative tests.  To borrow a metaphor from Parker, we must build a fence of knowledge with deep post holes and long rails that string those posts together into a cohesive framework upon which future knowledge can become relevant.   This challenging work of examining the boundaries of our personal beliefs and those of society is deep, personal work that is worthy of class time.

Democratic Education

            All teachers in our society should be helping to prepare the citizenry of the next generation.  Democratic education is essential for everyone, but as a social studies teacher it must be central.  Democratic education includes: engaging the controversial issues of our times, learning to disagree peacefully, analyzing past democracies, and learning the art of true deliberation.

         I don't believe in skirting the social taboos of religion and politics in the classroom, nor do I believe in preaching from my pulpit at the front of the room.  As Kelley (1986) advocates, I believe that as a teacher I should be transparent at times in my decision-making process and embody "committed impartiality" by revealing the motives and biases I hold, yet also providing a "fair hearing" of competing perspectives (p.130).  This allows students the opportunity to be conscious of the forces that are influencing them and empowers them to choose their own valid beliefs.  For example, after teaching students an inquiry unit about the proposed removal of the Lower Snake River Dams, I shared my own beliefs to illustrate the reasoning and research process in becoming an informed citizen.

        I believe that controversy must be engaged for students to develop the fundamental skills of civil discourse.  In the words of Peck, in a healthy community, we must learn the art of "fighting gracefully."  To this end, I have integrated a method called the structured academic controversy which is debate-like, but the outcome is cooperative rather than competitive.  I implemented this method to debate colonization of Vietnam from a French perspective in 1900.  Students had to either argue that France needed Vietnam at the time for imperialist reasons, or that it was morally wrong to conquer a foreign nation.  The outcome of the structure is that students are forced to carefully understand the opposing arguments and then make an informed decision between multiple valid views.

       Another piece of democratic education is a careful examination of the precarious democracies of the past and analysis of the rise and fall of civilizations like Athens and Rome, but also the democratic elements of Native American cultures and the varying expressions of democracy today.  I must help students develop a clear concept of democracy and help them to lucidly see their individual liberties and collective responsibilities.  I will instill a respect for law and examine the tensions between freedom and order that perennially cause us to reexamine our government.  Ideally, I plant the seeds of civil service and inspire a generation of thoughtful and motivated teachers, policemen, firemen, soldiers, and bureaucrats.

        Deliberation is a fundamental ingredient of a healthy democracy.  Talking through-rather than fighting over-differences of opinion in order to arrive at a an agreed course of action is an essential and sophisticated skill that must be taught in  schools.  Parker (2003) helps to clarify deliberation here: "[d]eliberation, in sum, creates an in-between space-potentially a solidarity across differences; a "we"-among people who are not necessarily friends or relations but who need to accomplish a goal that requires joining together." (p.81)  By engaging in deliberation, student interactions cross class, race, and status boundaries to solve common problems.  This work of citizenship not only enriches the community, but can help undermine racism, sexism, classism and the like (p. 80).

Building Community

         Finally, I must create an environment of compassion and support, a true community.  This is an essential attribute for students to engage in deep change as well as engaging in democratic education.  Some things I do to set a respectful tone are: never raising my voice, shaming, or humiliating my students.  I greet students each day and learn their names in the first week to assure they feel they have a home in my classroom.  I respect and encourage frequent student participation in class discussions and I work hard to ensure that the curriculum is challenging and meaningful to them.

        Additionally, over four years I have implemented a format called "personal histories" where everyone in the class has an opportunity to speak, answer questions, and hear affirmations about their life experiences.  This fosters a sense of community and rehearses an often-neglected skill of giving compliments to others.  In the words of Gay (2000), I work to "acknowledge their presence, honor their intellect, respect them as human beings, and make them feel like they are important" (p.49).
 
        I enjoy opportunities to be involved in student life after school such as the Model UN program that I worked with for three years.  I built community in this program by role-playing debating skills, researching together, and engaging in trust exercises, long bus rides, and ultimate Frisbee.  The relationships that I build with students are my prime motivation for teaching and I take this responsibility seriously.

Conclusion

           In conclusion, teaching is a human experience based in relationship.  It is a process of humility where all parties involved must acknowledge their imperfection and find the motivation to strive to better themselves.  In our society, it is ultimately a democratic process where developmentally self-centered adolescents should be challenged to serve a greater good, and deliberate over issues that matter to them.  Teaching is the work of resolving conflicts peacefully and modeling compassion as the norm for human interaction.

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