Teaching Wisely and Morally

I do accept the words of Paulo Freire that education is an act of love, an act of courage, where teachers and students become dynamic, creative and integral part of education system. There is a trend in the developed world to minimize the role of teachers due to the advance technologies, yet many agree that these technologies can never the role of teachers. Technologies can help us with readymade information but they cannot teach us to love, respect one another and become wise and courageous. A wise teacher, who knows different ways of knowing, can help students to become better human beings by helping them to reflect and choose how to live. Wisdom of a teacher is also shown in the ability of a teacher in creating a healthy learning space in a school. I like the three features of healthy learning space: openness, boundaries and hospitality given by Gloria Durka. These features help us to understand the importance of learning space while teaching the students.

I got stuck by the words of Thomas Lickona that “virtue can be caught and taught.” I used to hold that values are caught and not taught. It made me to think at the responsibility of a teacher in guiding students to build an ethical behavior. It’s true that a teacher needs to be a role model for the students but it also a moral obligation for a teacher to create an ethically safe learning space or environment where students undergo a transformation during their stay in the school. Everyone will agree that it is the love and care provided by a teacher changes the minds and hearts of students who will cherish their rich memories throughout their lives.