THE HEART OF A TEACHER

Ebenezer Bana Malilay, Jr.

 “Teachers… are the most responsible
and important member of society
because their professional efforts affect
the fate of the earth.”

-Helen Caldicott
 Objectives
• By the end of the session, teachers are expected to:
KNOW – Review the different “-isms” of teaching;

FEEL – Reflect on their mission and vocation as a

teacher; and,

DO – Be renewed and teach again with the HEART of a

TEACHER
 OUR PHILOSOPHICAL HERITAGE
Seven Philosophies of Education

1. ESSENTIALISM
Why teach?
- learners to acquire basic knowledge, skills and
values
- to transmit the traditional moral values and
intellectual knowledge that students need to
become model citizens.
What to teach?
- programs are academically rigorous
- the basic skill or the fundamental R’s – reading, ‘riting,
‘rithmetic, right conduct in the preparation for adult life.
- traditional discipline – math, natural sciences, history,
languages, literature
- frown upon vocational courses
- what is most important and place little emphasis on students
interest
How to teach?
- emphasize mastery of subject matter
- teachers fountain of information and paragon of virtue
- teachers observe “core requirements, longer school
days and a longer academic year”
- rely heavily on the use of prescribed textbooks
- heavy stress on memorization and discipline
2. PERENNIALISM
Why teach?
- we are all rational animals
- develop the students’ rational and moral powers
What to teach?
- curriculum is universal or general
-heavy on the humanities, general education
- less emphasis on vocational and technical education
- what the perennialist teachers teach are limited from the
Great Books
How to teach?
- centered around teachers
- students engaged in Socratic dialogues or
mutual inquiry sessions to develop an
understanding of history’s most
timeless concepts.
3. PROGRESSIVISM
Why teach?
- to develop learners into becoming
enlightened and intelligent citizens of a
democratic society.
- teach learners so they may live life fully
NOW.
What to teach?
- need-based and relevant curriculum
- curriculum that responds to students’ need and relates
students’ lives and experiences
- accept the impermanence of life and inevitability of change,
everything else changes
- concerned with teaching the learners the skill to cope with
change
- give focus to teaching skills or process in gathering and
evaluating information and in problem solving
- give emphasis on natural and social sciences
How to teach?
- employ experiential methods
- learns by doing
- John Dewey – advocate of Progressivism
- heavily rely on the problem-solving method
- hands-on-minds teaching method like field
trips and thought-provoking games
4. EXISTENTIALISM
Why teach?
- to help students understand and appreciate
themselves as unique individuals who accept
complete responsibility for their thoughts,
feelings and action.
- to help students define their own essence by
exposing them to various paths
- education of the whole person
What to teach?
- students are given a wide variety of options from
which they choose
- tremendous emphasis is given to Humanities to
provide students with vicarious experiences
that will help unleash their own creativity and
self-expression
- vocational education is regarded more
- encourage creativity and imagination
How to teach?
- focus on individual
- learning is self-paced, self-directed
- great deal of individual contact with the
teacher
- employ values clarification strategy
5. BEHAVIORISM
Why teach?
- modification and shaping of student’s behavior by
providing a favorable environment
What to teach?
- look people and other animals as complex
combination of matter that act only in response to
internally or externally physical stimuli.
- teach students to respond favorably to various stimuli
in the environment
How to teach?
- ought to arrange environment conditions
- ought to make the stimuli clear and
interesting to capture and hold leaners’
attention.
- ought to provide appropriate incentives to
reinforce positive responses to awaken
or eliminate negative ones.
6. LINGUISTIC PHILOSOPHY
Why teach?
- to develop the communication skills of the
learners
- to develop in the learner the skill to send
messages clearly and receive messages
correctly
What to teach?
- learners should be taught to communicate early
- communication takes place in three ways: verbal,
nonverbal and paraverbal
Verbal – the content of our message, the choice and
arrangement of our words. This can be oral or
written.
Nonverbal – the message we send through body language
Paraverbal – refers to how we say, what we say – tone, pacing
and volume of our voices.
• Teach learners to use language that is correct, precise, grammatical, coherent
and accurate

• Help students expand their vocabularies

• Teach the learner how to communicate clearly

• Caution the learners of the verbal and non-verbal barriers of communication

• Teach the learner to speak as many languages as you can

How to teach?
- teach language and communication through
experiential way
- make the classroom a place for the interplay of
minds and hearts
- facilitates dialogue among learners because in
the exchange of words there is also an
exchange of ideas.
7. CONSTRUCTIVISM
Why teach?
- to develop intrinsically motivated and independent
learners adequately equipped with learning skills
for them to be able to construct knowledge and
make meaning of them.
What to teach?
- learners are taught how to learn, learning processes
and skills
How to teach?
- teacher provides students with data or experiences
that allow them to hypothesize, predict,
manipulate objects, pose questions, research,
investigate, imagine and invent.
- classroom is interactive
- promotes dialogical exchange of ideas among
learners and between teachers and students
- teacher’s role is to facilitate the process
Example: My philosophy of education as a literature
teacher
• I believe that every child:
• has a natural interest in learning and is capable of learning
• Is a whole human being
• may be influenced by his/her environment
• Is unique. So there is no need to compare him/her with other
• has a mind full of ideas and it is my task to draw these out.

I believe that there is truth, good and beauty in the literary

text. These truths should be passed on to every child by
reading, understanding and analyzing values within the stories
and these values should be lived by the child.
 Teacher as a Person of Good
Moral Character
Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possess dignity and
reputation with high moral values as well as technical and professional
competence. In the practice of their profession, they strictly adhere to,
observe and practice this set of ethical and moral principles, standard
and values.

Characteristic of Good Moral Character:

1. being fully human – you have realized substantially your
potential as a human person
2. being a loving person – you are caring in an unselfish and
mature manner with yourself, other people and God.
3. being a virtuous person – you have acquired good habits and
attitudes and you practice them consistently in your
daily life

4. being a morally mature person – you have reached a level of

development emotionally, socially, mentally, spiritually
appropriate to your developmental stage.

You are a person of good moral character when you are:

HUMAN, LOVING, VIRTUOUS, and MATURE.
 Etymology of the word “vocation”

• Vocation – a strong desire to spend your life doing a certain

kind of work (such as religious work)
- the work that a person does or should be
doing
- from the Latin word “vocare” – to call
- teaching is a call
- there must be a caller and a responder
- it was God who called you here for you to
teach
 Etymology of the word “mission”
• Mission – any important task or duty that is assigned,
allotted, or self-imposed
- an important goal or purpose that is
accompanied by strong conviction
- from the Latin word “Misio” – To send

You are called to be a teacher and you are sent to the world to
accomplish a mission—to teach.
 Teaching: Mission and/or Job?
If you are doing it only because you are paid for it, it’s a job.
If you are doing it not only for the pay but also for service, it’s a mission.
If you quit because your boss or colleague criticized you, it’s a job;
If you keep on teaching out of love, it’s a mission.
If you teach because it does not interfere with your other activities, it’s a job.
If you are committed to teaching even if it means letting go of other activities, it’s a mission.
If you quit because no one praises or thanks you for what you do, it’s a job.
If you remain teaching even though nobody recognizes your efforts, it’s a mission.
It’s hard to get excited about a teaching job; Its almost impossible not to get excited about a
mission.
If our concern is success, it’s a job; If our concern is success plus faithfulness, it’s a mission.
An average school is filled by teachers doing their teaching job;
A great school is filled with teachers involved in mission of teaching.
“TEACHING may not be a lucrative
position. It can not guarantee financial
security. It even means investing your
personal time , energy, and resources.
Sometimes it means disappointments,
heartaches, and pains. But touching
the hearts of people and opening the
minds of children can give you joy and
contentment which money could not
buy. These are the moments I teach
for. These are the moments I live for.”
Dr. JosetteT. Biyo
--

1st Asian Teacher, Intel Excellence in Teaching award

Director, DOST-Science Education Institute