29 Apr Wisdom gives power
„Sit down, it’s hopeless!”, or, about knowledge and power in the process of teaching.
One of the key terms characteristic of the educational process in its broad sense seems to be knowledge. According to the definition in one Polish dictionary, it is nothing else than: “totality of information gained thanks to learning: store of information regarding some field”. And it’s obvious to everyone – you study so as to gain knowledge of a topic/subject. Simple.
Perhaps it’s less obvious to combine the concepts of “knowledge” and “power.” Although many philosophers, thinkers or researchers have already connected them with each other, each of them did it in a slightly different way. Michel Foucault, a French cultural researcher simply said: “Knowledge gives power”, a famous writer Tami Hoag repeats these words in the novel “Black Horse”. However, already at the turn of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Francis Bacon indicated the existence of a relationship between these concepts in the following words: “We have as much power as we have knowledge.” He departed from the ideal of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Science was to be a man’s tool in the struggle with nature.
Philosophical babble? Perhaps. Nevertheless, it remains closely related to the education process. After all, probably every student in every classroom has heard at some point, “Let’s open our coursebooks, write down the topic of the lesson”, “Please read, write down, copy …”, and, finally, the bloodcurdling: “Sit down, it’s hopeless!” Because who roles here? The teacher. Why?
Because he or she possesses knowledge? Yes.
It’s up to them to use it well.
The teacher as a policeman, superior and caretaker is becoming outdated nowadays. The contemporary educator is required to be a mentor, but also a partner. Education, although it is an obligation from the legal standpoint, should become a voluntary choice. Paradoxically, the two concepts are not mutually exclusive. Up to a certain age, children and adolescents must fulfill their school duty and it is not up for discussion, we can only work on ensuring that it isn’t an unpleasant duty.
For this to happen, we cannot talk about the relationship between a superior and a subordinate, but rather about partners who aim for one goal together. This goal is to acquire knowledge, and the authority associated with this knowledge should be on both sides. For a true mentor will not cling to the scepter in his or her hand, but he will pass it on to the student as well. Both will definitely benefit from this approach.
How can it be accomplished?
Talk and listen. Present, but also observe. Give, but also … take! Yes: acquire experience, learn from your own mistakes, adapt, adapt and adapt. The recently fashionable concept of “individualization of teaching” isn’t just another cliché. It cannot be one. We will not create a well-functioning school if we don’t listen to each other and … respect each other.
Therefore, teachers should use their knowledge and power properly, so that a supervisor’s monologue can be transformed into a dialogue between partners.
How to build such a school, how important different teaching methods turn out to be, how crucial is individualization, how significant are relationships and what they have to do with motivation all this and more will be discussed in our upcoming posts. Make sure to visit us often to find out!