GEN 499 Week 3 Discussion Responses

Discussion 1 Philosophy of Education

Respond to Peers: Review your classmates’ posts, and respond to two of your peers. Comment on how your peer explained their view on the philosophy of education and the understanding of how education is acquired. Each participation post should be a minimum of 75 words.

Reply to Denisha Davis post

Describe at least three ways a person can teach by example according to the article and provide a personal example in which you have demonstrated this concept.

According to the article, some of the ways a person can teach by example is when an officer wants to set an example of courage to her soldiers. Another example may be when a boss who wants her employees to adapt to her own work habits, and lastly let’s say for example a teacher who wants to model inquiry to her students (McEwan, 2011, p. 509).  As for a personal example in my current business, I have to not only lead by example I have to teach by example. It's crucial my team "do as I do" to ensure their success. I can't expect them to perform at a high level if I don't do it personally first. In my business, I take my trainees on training appointments where I do all the work so not only are they learning they are personally visualizing what I'm doing to have the success as well.

Explain how “teaching by example” influences the development of ethical and moral reasoning as well as cultural sensitivity and awareness.

Teaching by example influences the development and moral reasoning as well as cultural sensitivity and awareness because there is a vast difference between example giving and example setting.  Most often our actions are taking singly as models to be imitated or reproduced (McEwan, 2011, p. 510). Just think if someone told you, you could become a millionaire by doing XYZ how likely are you to take action, however say someone taught you how to become a millionaire, and they were actually a millionaire how likely than are you to take action?

“Rousseau categorically denies the educational power of example” (p. 513). Explain your agreement or disagreement with Rousseau’s philosophy of education as it applies to your experience in gaining knowledge.

When evaluating my education as it applies to my experience in gaining knowledge, I would have to disagree with Rousseau.  Rousseau said,” everything is good when it comes forth from God’s hands, everything degenerates in man’s hands" (McEwan, 2011, p. 513) Although good comes from god’s hands, it still doesn't take away from the fact everybody has the power to teach by example however that can be a positive or negative thing but the power of education power example improves our society and others around us. When you see, someone having success based on their knowledge that has the ability to influence others to do the same and duplicate their actions.

 

McEwan, H. (2011). A portrait of the teacher as friend and artist: The example of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 43(5), 508-520. doi:10.1111/j.1469-5812.2010.00640.x.

Reply to Cynthia Bolyard post

According to the article, there are three ways of teaching:

1. Teaching by example --> this can be very powerful way to teach, concerned with the moral aspects of teaching, with passing on what is good and bad in the conduct of life or a way of life, teaching and learning from example operate routinely in a variety of social contexts and cultural settings, and those who teach by example often challenge the accepted standards of their culture or social group

2. Imitation --> student teachers observe how they learn how not to teach from the bad example that a teacher has set

3. Intention --> "not only is intention not the essence of teaching, but some of the most important teaching can only occur when it is not intended;" make a deliberate effort with a definite intent (McEwan, 2011)

 

Morality is an antecedent to ethics --> it denotes those concrete activities of which ethics is the science. It may be defined as human conduct in so far as it is freely subordinated to the ideal of what is right and fitting. Ethical philosophy it is strenuously maintained that right moral action is altogether independent of religion. In fields such as mathematics or physics, there are generally no problems, but the issue becomes murkier in literature, history, and sociology. Discussing a book with a moral lesson in it in a literature class is not the same thing as advocating  that moral lesson, but the distinction is not always clear. In science, the conflict over teaching evolution vs. creationism has been couched in moral and ethical terms (Chein, 1972).

 

Rousseau is undoubtedly critical of the power of social convention in shaping behavior, values, and perspectives. He writes that "everything is good when it come forth from God's hands, everything degenerates in man's hands" (McEwan, 2011). When reading this, I was enchanted by this quote. I see that Rousseau believes that we all should lead by the "power of example." This is very important when teaching our kids, training people at work, and just being with our friends. We can learn so much by just watching the people around us. We can see things that are right, wrong, and things that need to be changed for the better or worse.

 

References:

Chein, I. (1972). The Science of Behavior and the Image of Man. New York: Basic Books.

McEwan, H. (2011). A portrait of the teacher as friend and artist: The example of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 43(5), 508-520. doi:10.1111/j.1469-5812.2010.00640.x.