Although still evolving, my teaching philosophy is beginning to crystalize. Here is something I recently wrote in a class at LAC (Literacy Assistance Center).
My ABE students have very practical goals, getting a job, becoming a citizen, securing their piece of the "American Dream." So I do suscribe to a certain extent to the Vocational perspective as a teaching philosophy. I do feel it is one of my roles as teacher of adult learners to help them acquire literacy for job preparation and financial independence. I also as an INFP(J) am a humanist and actively seek to support my students in their personal growth and build self esteem. And I must admit and confess that Cultural Literacy has taken a fall in my teaching arsenal since my recent encounter with JD Hersh. His list of things every American should know smacks too much of elitism.
However, I think I fall most completely in the "Liberatory" camp in terms of my teaching philosophy. I am strongly drawn to Paulo Freire and his teaching philosophy. I believe that education has the power to transform us as individuals and as a society but only if we become a more informed, thinking, critically questioning people. Thus I feel challenged to challenge my students to THINK, to QUESTION, to POSE PROBLEMS. Then, and only then, does education become truly transformative in their lives, in my life, and in our society as a whole.
