I believe that
education is a tool for greater happiness and opportunities in life. “Pleasure is not a means but the goal in
itself, so that “To learn is pleasure” means “to learn is the goal itself” (Shim,
2008). Education should nurture this love of learning so that every student can
succeed in their chosen field. Happiness according to Aristotle, Plato and
Confucius (amongst others) is the final goal of mankind- people want to be
happy (Noddings, 2007 & Shim, 2008). I agree with Confucius’s philosophy
that we should teach students “to become a man of character rather than
knowledge” (Shim, 2008). Whilst knowledge in the core subjects at school may
allow students to succeed academically, it is important that the whole child is
educated in order for them to function in the world to the best of their
abilities. If we can encourage
“improvements of the soul” (Noddings, 2007) or the “ren” as Confucius calls it
(Shim, 2008), then education can journey further than being a socialistic
system where students are merely numbers and expected to receive top grades, to
an organization where students enjoy their learning and are intrinsically
motivate to strive higher. Shouldn’t happiness and teaching of the whole child
be the aim for education?
I believe good teaching
stems from a relationship between the teacher and learner that is
interchangeable. A teacher must know
their students in order to scaffold their education which ultimately leads to
student autonomy in their learning and the monotonous situation of teachers
being narrators of knowledge and the concept of ‘banking’ is eliminated
(Freire, 2008). To have a relationship
in which this change from teacher to learner and vice versa occurs, then a
personal and spiritual transformation must be made by both sides (Shim, 2008).
Teachers must know their student in order to address their individual needs,
regardless of their context. Every child
must be given the opportunity to transform their learning so that they can
become “beings for themselves” and not merely a replica of someone else’s
values and beliefs (Freire, 2007). Such
pedagogy regards knowledge as a fluid mixture that forms through social
construction and encourages students to connect with higher-order thinking and
to also communicate and reflect on what they are learning (NSW Dep of Edu,
2003). Through scaffolding this autonomy these relationships will encourage
enjoyment with learning itself and the ability to “contemplate the real world
and the form of good” (Shim, 2008).
To become educated I believe you
have to become a natural man (Noddings, 2007); to think independently and to
value learning as it leads to happiness. Possessing the attitude that students
are people too (Tauber, 1999) teachers need to ensure they create learning that
addresses all the needs of all students. With a strong emphasis on the National
Framework for Values Education (DET, 2005), learning should include life
lessons that educate the whole child, preparing them for the world. Teachers
should become accustom to questioning curriculum and fighting for what they
deem to be best classroom practice. As Dewey argues, teachers need to remove
themselves from being “pedagogical slaves who passively conform to the will of
authoritarian elites” (Webster, 2009).
Change should occur frequently in order to stay current with issues and
student contexts. What is valued in education needs to be reviewed on a case by
case system. Does every child need to experience Shakespeare in order to
succeed in life or to find happiness?
Commitment to teaching is pivotal
in order to provide quality teaching. Commitment to the job is put simply by
Confucius as he believes it lies solely in the notion of continual learning
(Shim, 2008). Through a teacher/ learner shared education learning occurs
continuously, however professional development through involvement in faculty,
area or globally is crucial to ensuring that teachers themselves find happiness
in learning. Teachers also must operate as professionals and exercise
independence within their teaching in order to stay current and meet all the
needs of students (Webster, 2009). This
continual learning is best put by Dewey (1897): “education is growth... it is not a
preparation for life: education is life itself”. To combine this thought with Confucius’s
notion of happiness shows that if education is life itself and happiness is the
goal of life, then happiness and education should go hand in hand.
Above is a representation of what I
believe at this current time, but I alike to Confucius realize that my views
may change as teachers must continuously study and teach in order to stay improve
their professional practice and philosophy. I also feel that through this it is
inevitable that happiness in education can be found. This happiness relates to inner gratification
of learning as a teacher, but also in viewing students embrace happiness in
their own lives. Teachers need to strive to go beyond the books and memorizing
so that the whole child is educated. What we value needs to be reconsidered as
each and every student comes with a different set of needs. But at the core of
all my philosophy is the notion to be a teacher that can make a difference.
WORKS CITIED
AITSL. (2012). Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers. http://www.teacherstandards.aitsl.edu.au/Standards/AllStandards
DET. (2005). National Framework for Values
Education in Australian Schools. http://www.valueseducation.edu.au/verve/_resources/Framework_PDF_version_for_the_web.pdf
Dewey, J. (1897). My Pedagogic Creed. School Journal, 54, 77-80.
Freire, P. (2007). Pedagogy of the Oppressed (original 1968). New York, NY: The
Continuum International Publishing Group.
Freire,
P. (2008). The “Banking” Concept of
Education (8th ed).
Boston: Bedford- St. Martin’s.
Noddings, N. (2007). Philosophy of Education (second edition ed.): Westview Press.
NSW Dep of Edu, (2003). Quality Teaching in
NSW Public Schools- Discussion Paper. Sydney, NSW.
Shim, S. (2008) ‘A philosophical
investigation of the role of teachers: A synthesis of Plato, Confucius, Buber,
and Freire’. Teaching and Teacher
Education, 24, pp. 515-535.
Tauber, R. (1999). Classroom Management :Sound Theory and Effective Practice (3rd
ed). New York: Ebook.
Webster, S. (2009). Why educators should
bring an end to pedagogy. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(1),
42-53.