Evolving Educational Philosophy Higher Education

Evolving Educational Philosophy

Higher education is no less critical in the development of values and beliefs than elementary education. In fact it may actually be more important and may help in shaping views which are more consistent with the reality since this is the time when young adults become aware of issues they did not understand as kids.

I was fortunate as a child to have had some exceptional teachers but it was my experience with teachers during college education that truly shaped my view of the world and of myself. Our economics teacher for example was a dedicated teacher who had raised children herself and had a sound family life and who firmly believed that women can raise families as well as handle job responsibilities very well. They did not need to sacrifice one for the other. I learned from interaction with teachers that college education is critical not because of the subjects you choose to study but because of the vast and rich experiences of teachers who get to interact with. Their personal views and professional ideals have been shaped by years of struggle, experience and intense interactions with all kinds of students. This gives them a much richer and deeper outlook on life and one can learn a great deal from them.

When I decided to become a teacher, I knew I had an additional responsibility on my shoulders. I did not only have to teach my subject well, I also had to mind what I said to my students because they could learn more from what I said advertently or inadvertently. What you teach and how you teach are of course very important too. A college student can learn significantly about economics from college books but it will always be those class discussions with the teacher that would help them really grasp the reality of economics and how it affects our lives. For example in Virginia Foster Durr's life, it was her critical thinking skills during an economics class that helped her conclude that poor people are suffering not because of a character flaw but because of the way system works ("Educating citizens," p. 2)

Such experiences can have a lasting even if delayed impact on a student's thinking. Many students learn to develop tolerance for different religious, social and political views during their college years through interaction with other students and also their teachers who generally have a much broader outlook on variety of subjects than the students themselves.

My education philosophy revolves around responsible teaching. I believe that teachers need to be more aware of what they say to their students on critical subjects because their views are often taken seriously and students can form their views based on what they heard the teacher say. Many teachers might not pay close attention to their own views during class discussions or they may unjustly criticize someone else's views without thinking about the impact it might have on a student. For example a teacher who has strong political views might oppose a student's stand on a policy issue without truly understanding where the person is coming from. This can shatter the confidence of the student and may even make him lose interest in the subject and teacher's views. For the development of students' critical thinking skills and their confidence, responsible teaching is highly desirable.

Teachers need to understand that while they can foster discussion and debate, it is not necessary to impose their views on any student. Students come from variety of backgrounds and hence may need some healthy debate and discussion to change or alter their views if they need to be changed. They shouldn't be forced to believe something or discard some view. In the case of Virginia Foster for example, we learned that when she didn't want to share a table with a black student, her supervisor told her that this was how things worked at the college and if she didn't want to do it, she could leave. This is a classic example of responsible behavior. She was not asked to change her views, she was not criticized for having such strong racial views but instead was simply told what college believed in. It was then up to her to change her views and become more tolerated or stay as she was.

This is the kind of teaching I believe in. I remember that during our political science class during my college years, a student said something against the leader of the then ruling party, my teacher who had been a supporter of the party refused to oppose her views. Instead she simply listened to her and allowed other students to engage in a discussion. In the end she said, "I have worked with this person as a community organizer and if he is doing what he is doing based on his personal beliefs than I support him all the way for I knew what he believed in but if it is for political gains alone, I might have to rethink on this. Only time will tell."