My Teaching Philosophy
Education alone cannot solve the world's problems. It must be paired with action.
My teaching philosophy is inspired by both the Humanistic and Critical philosophies of adult education (Elias & Merriam, 2005). The educator serves as a guide while learners navigate their personal passions, interests, goals, and culture through education. Further, the teacher provides opportunities for learners to connect their individual learning to real-world issues. Good teaching allows learners to explore concepts through providing multiple perspectives and employs a rich diversity of materials. Additionally, good facilitating establishes an environment of respect for all cultures and opinions and creates an atmosphere for authentic dialogue and a pathway to action and change.
Photo: F.T. Marinetti, the founder of Italian Futurism. [Public domain]
Photo: Umberto Boccioni, 1913, Dynamism of a Cyclist (Dinamismo di un ciclista). [Public domain]
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Foundations of My Philosophy
As a twenty-one-year-old graduate student, I was mesmerized by the bombastic declarations of the Futurists. Futurism was born when F.T. Marinetti’s founding manifesto was published in the French newspaper Le Figaro on February 20, 1909. I would never have been one of Marinetti’s Futurists: the first manifesto included the call to “scorn women” and asserted that “war was the only hygiene of the world” (Marinetti, 1909/1973). However, in the context of the early twentieth century, it is possible to see why Marinetti would be compelled to create a manifesto detailing his avant-garde philosophies on how to live. The world was changing. The motorcar was newly invented, and the first mechanized war, World War I, was only 5 years away. The eighth point of the founding manifesto illustrates that he sees the world of 1909 as distinctly different than the world of the past: We stand on the last promontory of the centuries!… Why should we look back, when what we want is to break down the mysterious doors of the Impossible? Time and Space died yesterday. We already live in the absolute, because we have created eternal, omnipresent speed. (Marinetti, 1909/1973) As an educator of the twenty-first century, I align with the sentiment that we should not look back but strive to break down the doors of the impossible. History and the past are useful tools only if they propel us to creating a better present and future. I believe the status quo should continuously be questioned. The value I place on having a better vision for the future was recently reaffirmed to me when I took the Gallup Strengths Finder Assessment as part of a work retreat. “Futuristic” was identified as one of my top strengths. Gallup (2012) explains that “people exceptionally talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They energize others with their visions of the future” (par. 1). However, not all learners may approach the world with the same emphasis on the future that I do. Hence, as an adult facilitator, I find it essential to start with the strengths and motivations individuals bring to the learning environment. Each learner enters their education for a different purpose. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954) can provide one framework for understanding individual motivation in learning. The hierarchy is depicted as a pyramid and the needs at the base must be met before the higher levels can be reached, with self-actualization at the top of the pyramid. As an adult educator, I must meet learners where they are and understand their needs and motivation for learning before I can galvanize them to challenge social injustices. However, integral to my philosophy is introducing social issues. Freire (1970/1996) writes that to overcome situations of oppression, “people must first critically recognize its causes, so that through transforming action they can create a new situation, one which makes possible the pursuit of a fuller humanity” (p. 29). Ultimately, I strive to create conditions where learners may develop what Freire calls “critical consciousness” and realize their personal educational objectives while recognizing and combating systemic injustice. |
References
Elias, J. L. & Merriam, S. B. (2005). Philosophical foundations of adult education (3rd ed.). Melbourn, FL: Krieger Publishing Company.
Freire, P. (1996). Pedagogy of the oppressed. (M. B. Ramos, Trans.). London: Penguin Book. (Original work published 1970)
Gallup. (2012). Futuristic. Retrieved from: https://dk9zyhfatdvcy.cloudfront.net/public/pdf/en-US/Futuristic.pdf
Marinetti, F. T. (1973). The founding and manifesto of futurism. In U. Apollonio (ed.) Documents of 20th century art: Futurist manifestos (19-24). New York: Viking Press. (Original work published 1909)
Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality. New York: Harper and Row
Elias, J. L. & Merriam, S. B. (2005). Philosophical foundations of adult education (3rd ed.). Melbourn, FL: Krieger Publishing Company.
Freire, P. (1996). Pedagogy of the oppressed. (M. B. Ramos, Trans.). London: Penguin Book. (Original work published 1970)
Gallup. (2012). Futuristic. Retrieved from: https://dk9zyhfatdvcy.cloudfront.net/public/pdf/en-US/Futuristic.pdf
Marinetti, F. T. (1973). The founding and manifesto of futurism. In U. Apollonio (ed.) Documents of 20th century art: Futurist manifestos (19-24). New York: Viking Press. (Original work published 1909)
Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality. New York: Harper and Row