Defending Students Against Personal Influence
As a teacher, it can be easy to fall into the trap of wanting to shape our students in our own image. We may want them to adopt our beliefs, our values, and our worldview. After all, we believe that we have the answers, and we want to impart them to the next generation. However, this approach can be problematic. It can lead to a narrow-mindedness that stifles creativity and critical thinking. It can also create a power imbalance between teacher and student, with the former holding all the cards. In short, it can be detrimental to the learning process. To be a truly effective teacher, it is important to defend our students against our own personal influence. This means putting our own biases and beliefs aside and allowing our students to explore their own ideas and perspectives. This does not mean that we should abandon our role as a guide and mentor. On the contrary, it means that we should be even more vigilant in creating a safe and supportive learning environment in which our stude