In Eng 603 today, I feel that I learned some meaningful things. Although all of the "landscapes" my colleagues drew were quite different and unique, I noticed that all of them fell into one of two broad categories. My drawing, and many others, focused on the lone teacher struggling to synthesize various conflicting and complementing pedagogies, such as progressivism versus critical pedagogy or expressivism versus cognitivism. These drawings often featured a stick-figure either under the influence of theorist stick-figures or spying on theorist stick-figures. The other group of drawings gave the students a greater amount of attention. Kara's, for example, featured the teacher leading a line of students up a mountain (if a better metaphor for what we do exists, please let me know). Charity's drawing represented the teacher at various stages in her relationship with her students (Gatekeeper, Coach, Collaborative leader).
Dr. Cadle made a comment on this latter group of drawings, calling them "student-centered." Something clicked when she said that. I am a neo-platonist in many respects. I think there are universal truths concerning knowledge, life, love, etc., and that there are manifold manifestations of these truths. As a teacher, I'm trying to figure out the best way, the truth, of teaching and edifying my students. Thus, I try to synthesize the best of educational philosophy, from Plato to Vygotsky, from Shaughnessy to Bartholomae.
Perhaps, however, I should spend more time considering which truth, way, or philosophy works best for my students. Maybe the general attitude/personality of the students should dictate whether I approach them from an expressivist point of view or a classical perspective, as opposed to me asserting a cognitive model in this context and a progressive paradigm in another. In any case, I will try to consider centering the approach -- and not just the discussions -- on my students rather than what Bartholomae says about academic writing.
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I think the concept of truth becomes difficult when referring to teaching. I want students to grapple with concepts and come up with their own viewpoint. However, I also feel that there is an ultimate truth. It is difficult for me to present questions and conflicts to students so that they start thinking about the issue without wanting to steer them in what I believe to be the right direction.
I agree, Charity. It is difficult. Part of Platonic thought, as I understand it anyway, is the constant questioning and contemplating of human existence in order to determine the "truth" of this or that. If I read Plato correctly, no question is ever dead. So we don't necessarily have to steer our students any particularly way. We (us and our students) can just have a dialectic in which we might get a little closer to understanding. That's my hope at least.
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