Procrastadabbler

I remembered what it was I wanted to blog about. Politics and teaching. Do teachers have the right to reveal their personal politics whilst teaching? Because of the lopsided nature of power between teacher and student, is it wrong for a teacher to put forth his or her politics? Will that stymie students? Does it risk indoctrinating students? What is the role of politics in teaching? If a teacher is overtly political, do students who disagree tend to discount the teacher with “oh that’s just Ms X’s politics”?

I presented a lesson at the writing project and one of my colleagues asked me about the overt politics within the content and how do I handle it when students are on the opposite side of the spectrum from me. I have thought a lot about this, so I had a ready answer, but it was an incomplete answer, as all answers seem to be.

I believe first and foremost that teaching is a political act. By taking up teaching we automatically embrace the idea that we have an effect on and should have an effect on other people. If someone doesn’t believe that, there is no reason for education. A teacher, therefore either perpetuates the status quo or works for social change.

St. John Fisher explicitly states “Teach me goodness, discipline, and knowledge.” It is the motto. That is a political stance. It doesn’t say “teach me how to make a dollar.” Secondly, the SJFC School of Education explicitly states that we work to develop teachers who are agents of social change.

So, as a professor at SJFC SoE, it is my moral obligation to teach my students how to make a positive impact on their world. One way in which I do that is to nudge them (and sometimes shove them) toward an examination of their value set. Some may argue that it is only my job to teach them teaching strategies. I argue that if I only teach teaching strategies, then I have taken the political stance of reproducing the status quo. That means I believe in and support the world system as it currently exists. A neutral stance, is really a cover for an ideology of statis.

The tricky part is challenging my students to uncover the assumptions and ideologies that drive their interactions and participation in the world. This can be and is uncomfortable for all of us. There are times I want to shy away from it. Conflict is uncomfortable.

However, I am determined not to ignore or try to smooth over conflict, for I firmly believe that it is in conflict that we learn. As odd as it may sound coming from a liberal, I don’t want the Republican party to go away. I believe there is a need for conservatives in the world. The danger is when one group is silenced or one group dominates. The strength of a community is in its discourse. Conservatives in my classroom continually push me to think and clarify my thinking. At the same time, I demand from my students thinking and clarification of their thinking. If they are political conservatives, I want to know why and what data they have to back up their opinions. I don’t want them espousing an idea simply because that’s their personal experience, that’s what their family believes, or that’s what some radio talk show host said. I want them to look at the hard data, to consider multiple sides of the argument, and then form their thesis based on their synthesis of that data. Then, if they decide to remain a political conservative, I respect that.

One of the difficulties for me in my teaching is that I believe certain things passionately and it is those passions that drive my teaching. Because of that, ofttimes I might come across as strident in my teaching. I am sensitive that such passion may shut students down, so I work very hard to build a classroom that is conducive to civil discourse. We may disagree, but I want us to all respect each other and each other’s opinion. I may not always be successful, but it is a goal.

I believe I have been at least part way successful in that one of my most conservative students from last year asked if he could assist me on my research project this year. Even though we differ politically, if we did not build a level of respect between us, I don’t think he would have asked to assist me. I also recently heard that another of my more conservative former students remarked that I messed up her world. She used to think one way, but now she’s not quite sure what to think. She is questioning things and is seeking out other people upon whom to test ideas and work things through. That made my heart sing because in the end it will make her a better teacher.

No one likes to be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary for growth.