2 Towards a Philosophy of Education
Thor Gibbins
“The original Greek idea of pedagogy has associated with it the meaning of leading in the sense of accompanying the child…in such a way as to provide direction and care for his or her life.
Thus, from an etymological point of view, a pedagogue is a man or woman who stands in a caring relation to children: In the idea of leading or guiding there is a ‘taking by the hand,’ in the sense of watchful encouragements, ‘Here, take my hand!’ ‘Come, I shall show you the world. The way into the world, my world and yours. I know something about being a child, because I have been there, where you are now, I was young once…Leading means going first, and in going first, you can trust me, for I have tested the ice. I have lived. I know something of the rewards and trappings of growing towards adulthood and making a world for yourself. Although my going first is no guarantee of success for you (because the world is not without risks and dangers), in the pedagogical relationship there is a more fundamental guarantee: No matter what, I am here. And you can count on me.’”
-The Tact of Teaching: The Meaning of Pedagogical Thoughtfulness by Max van Manen
Before We Read
Carefully read the above quote by pedagogical philosopher Max van Manen. In this statement, what is van Manen’s concept of how children learn? What is the relationship between student, teacher, and the world? What is required of the teacher within this educational philosophy?
Critical Question For Consideration
As you read, consider these essential questions: What is learning? How do students learn? How do we know students have learned? What are the relationships between the construction of knowledge (learning), students, teachers, and the world, or community?
ReStorying Philosophy: An Introduction
Most chapters on philosophies of education usually start with a short overview of Western philosophy beginning with Plato and Aristotle which highly valued these two philosophers as the central figures of philosophy and are foundational to any western “civilization” grounded on idealism (Plato) and realism (Aristotle). However, this worldview is misguided and shortsighted. Rather than outline all the philosophical movements of western philosophy and connect these philosophies on the how and why of learning, this chapter decenters the typical outline. This chapter seeks to frame education from a non-western philosophy while making connections to how this different perspective might allow us to revise our own understanding of teaching and learning that has been shaped by our own internalized Eurocentric worldview. A view of learning atomized and disconnected from the material world. This is not an attempt to co-opt and romanticize a non-western perspective; it is, however, a way to help untangle an internalized worldview of learning that may help young people and the educators tasked with teaching them a more effective way at solving myriad crises that an atomize