Curriculum as Praxis.
Curriculum can be understood as the interaction between teachers, students and knowledge. I found the following explanation, and it resonated with my teaching philosophy and understanding of the educational process:
Teachers enter particular schooling and situations with
- a personal, but shared idea of the good and a commitment to human emancipation,
- an ability to think critically, -in-action
- an understanding of their role and the expectations others have of them, and
- a proposal for action which sets out essential principles and features of the educational encounter.
- conversations between, and with, people in the situation
- informed and committed action
- continually evaluate the process and what they can see of the outcomes.
As described in this quotation about the education process, teachers enter with shared purpose, implying community. Traditional education, where one instructor is in a classroom with a number of students, can be a lonely professional endeavour. Although a good part of the day is spent apart from colleagues, teachers in the same facility should take time to share their purpose, successes, and failures with each other. Existing as a community of teachers can develop and challenge us in our practice, and help us to clarify our roles and expectations.
Teachers come to education with “a proposal for action…of the educational encounter.” Oftentimes a carefully crafted lesson plan or learning goal is usurped by more important issues of the day: personal student crises, a major news story, or simply excellent class discussion that went longer than the teacher expected. I believe that a large part of master teaching comes from understanding when to discard the plan for the day. Just because I wanted something to happen does not mean that nothing else is worth addressing.
The middle section of the quotation centres on the learning process: encouraging dialogue with the hopes of inspired action. In my teaching philosophy I noted that “the consequence of learning is action.” It is interesting to note that the teacher is not necessarily imparting knowledge or conducting traditional forms of instruction. The teacher sets up the learning situation, encourages conversation, and leads to action or resolution of the situation proposed. In this way, the teacher is a guide or facilitator, but not the stereotypical fountain of knowledge.
Finally, teachers evaluate the learning process and outcomes. As a community of teachers, discussing experiences enable the evaluation to take place, thus restarting the learning process as teachers critically reflect, dialogue, and change their practice. Therefore, as students are encouraged to dialogue, reflect and act, teachers are encouraged to do the same.
Quotation: Smith, M. K. (1996, 2000). Curriculum theory and practice. the encyclopaedia of informal education. Retrieved from: www.infed.org/biblio/b-curric.htm
Teachers come to education with “a proposal for action…of the educational encounter.” Oftentimes a carefully crafted lesson plan or learning goal is usurped by more important issues of the day: personal student crises, a major news story, or simply excellent class discussion that went longer than the teacher expected. I believe that a large part of master teaching comes from understanding when to discard the plan for the day. Just because I wanted something to happen does not mean that nothing else is worth addressing.
The middle section of the quotation centres on the learning process: encouraging dialogue with the hopes of inspired action. In my teaching philosophy I noted that “the consequence of learning is action.” It is interesting to note that the teacher is not necessarily imparting knowledge or conducting traditional forms of instruction. The teacher sets up the learning situation, encourages conversation, and leads to action or resolution of the situation proposed. In this way, the teacher is a guide or facilitator, but not the stereotypical fountain of knowledge.
Finally, teachers evaluate the learning process and outcomes. As a community of teachers, discussing experiences enable the evaluation to take place, thus restarting the learning process as teachers critically reflect, dialogue, and change their practice. Therefore, as students are encouraged to dialogue, reflect and act, teachers are encouraged to do the same.
Quotation: Smith, M. K. (1996, 2000). Curriculum theory and practice. the encyclopaedia of informal education. Retrieved from: www.infed.org/biblio/b-curric.htm