I think my ideas about the purposes of education are becoming a bit more clear. I had a mini-epiphany this week in class during the presentation on the history of education. When our republic was new, it seems highly necessary to teach the principles of republicanism and also of our republic in specific if our new government was to survive. Today, it seems less crucial to teach these principles, perhaps these ideas have become a part of the popular, internalized, instinctualized consciousness. This is not to say that knowing the Constitution is not important, it is, but this is an aspect of maintaining our republic which is different from the education which was necessary when America was new to the world. My point is, perhaps the social end of education changes with time and in relation to a number of issues relevant to the context of today. This leads nicely into the question of what is my purpose in being a teacher, today?
Aside from the creative ways to transmit vital knowledge and the quest to expand consciousness, I now see it as important to bring up issues that seem crucial to the attainment of a healthy society. For example, it might seem important to have a unit on the "politics of food." Not so much to take a stake in this debate, but to bring the issues into the light and allow the students to begin a thought process that will help them grow.
I think this practice will also inform my general educational ideas, namely, that it is not so much the object of knowledge that is important, but the ability to think critically, philosophically, and dynamically about a piece of knowledge or an issue, so as to understanding it completely and even instinctually.
The lecture on Tuesday kinda bummed me out, sent me reeling into an air of dissonance, but now I think I see the importance of the fragility of the line we walk as teachers. The line between doing good and doing bad. This is why it is so important to be open to painful dissonance, and the otherwise slippery slope of believing we know we understand completely things like the world, society, what's good or what's bad, or even our role as teachers. My interpretation of something Jesse once said is this: knowing or believing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what progress is can be a dangerous thing, but I'm probably wrong.
I like how part of you philosophy is to promote the critical thinking along with philosophical and dynamic thinking of students. If you or anyone can accomplish this kind of teaching/learning in the classroom then our society will undoubtedly be better off. It just depends on how these acquired skills will be used and if progress is made in the “positive direction.” I also like how you would like to bring topics and issues to light to promote understanding as with “politics of food.” This approach can be made with virtually any subject to have students chew on and have food for thought. It is ideas that nourish the mind after all.
ReplyDeleteI might suggest that moving away from what is like to live in a republic. When we have a whole generation who don't know the name of their elected leaders, city officials, representatives, supreme court justices and senators, but now know who won dancing with the stars or star search, that we have lost our way as a system and a society. How many people understand the constitutions text and amendments, particularly the 1st and 4th, which impact our lives daily?
ReplyDeleteI am a second generation American, my people spoke Russian and Italian and came to the USA in 1981 and 1920 respectively, not 100 years ago, they understood that assimilation into American society was important. They understood the value of education. They were proud to become Americans. So proud that they gave up speaking their native language, took americanized names and use the education system to learn what it took to become and embrace the democracy that they lived in. Today's education, I submit, emphasizes the individual, emphasizes diversity and does not promote assimilation and pride in our country,
We have lost our way and cannot, I fear, get it back. We seem more concerned with making sure to address every person's psychological health rather than educating that individual to become a functioning member of our society. Then there is great disillusionment when that individual then comes face to face with reality-not be prepared for higher education/barely functional education levels, ill-prepared if at all for meaningful work, and worse, not able to survive on their own in the adult world.
This is what I find distressful in our system. WE are supposed to be training our replacements, tomorrow's leaders, and the next generation of doctors, lawyers, professionals. Isn't the reality a little scary?
Apparently I mean to contact you once a year. At least that seems to be the way it's going. Spring always makes me think of you. And summer of course. How are you?
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