The Challenge of Teaching in 90’s: Broadening the World View
Recently, I conducted a workshop on Anti-Racist teaching at Mount St. Vincent University for the B. Ed. students. They were very enthusiastic about the idea of teaching and shaping the minds of young impressionable Canadians. When asked why they chose teaching, many said they loved the idea of working with kids, and yearned for the opportunity to make a difference. To facilitate their dream, they have enrolled in a B.Ed. program to develop teaching skills - skills related to curriculum development, pedagogy, evaluation, etc. Many recognized that it will take them time to hone in their skills, but are willing to go through the learning and apprenticeship process.
If we asked university professors why they went into teaching, I am not sure we would get a comparable set of answers. I am not sure many of us started out wanting to work with young adults, or wanting to make a difference. I am not sure many of us thought seriously the idea of teaching upon completing a doctoral program. An interesting question is what drove us to pursue a doctoral studies in our chosen field. Was it a quest for knowledge? Was it the class privilege that comes with having the title Dr? Was it an interest in research? or was it that we wanted to teach the future leaders of tomorrow? Each of us must ask and answer this question for ourselves.
Unlike those B.Ed. students, many of us have not been schooled in curriculum design, pedagogical tools, evaluation methods, educational psychology, etc. I would contend that many of us would resent having to do those things. Yet for some unknown reason, simply by virtue of completing a doctoral studies program, or a masters degree in some cases, we have earned us the right to teach "sans experience". What has given us this right? Is it the arrogance or ignorance of the academy? This may explain why our Deans often receive a barrage of complaints about faculty members who do not have a clue about teaching. Many complain that we are incapable of disseminating knowledge at a level below a doctoral level - the saying "s/he knows their stuff but they can’t teach it" is very common in university circles. Students often complain about poorly designed courses from which they gain little knowledge. This speaks to the issue of curriculum design. Many also criticize our evaluation methods. They challenge the rationale, though not publicly, behind mark allocation.
To add to this picture, faculty are constantly faced with other challenges. The need to broaden ones knowledge base is an important and ever present challenge. The information base changes constantly. New technologies are being developed, and professors are not only expected to be on top of the technology in their field, they are expected to be able to transmit that knowledge to their students.
In recent history, the challenges have been extended to include the need to reexamine curriculum and pedagogy advocating racist, ethnocentric, and sexist world views through language, and content. The charges of racism, ethnocentrism, Eurocentrism, and sexism against universities such as ours are serious and very real. The are many who believe that Canadian universities have always been that way. But faced with the daunting reality of a pluralistic society, many fear that there is a rising tide of racist, ethnocentric, Eurocentric, and sexist activity. This some say is symptomatic of the reaction to the demand from the various constituencies to share power with the traditional power brokers - "white" middle class males.
There is an increasing demand for our institution to be truly inclusive and reflective of our population. The response have not been all positive. The work of Philip Rushton at University of Western Ontario on the intelligence of Aryans, Asian, and Africans is no accident. It represents part of the backlash to the demand for inclusion. Many debates in the African Canadian community charge fields such as Psychology, Anthropology, Education, History, Sociology with advancing racist and sexist agendas. There is a challenge, therefore, to re-examine the content and the motives of these disciplines. Many feel that these disciplines attempt to appropriate and define people of African descent without their participation. To further exacerbate the situation, university professors have the power to deny authority to the voice of these groups. For example, books published by African scholars on the psychology or sociology of African people are rarely be used as texts in "White" institutions. Herein lies the challenge to our world view.
Political correctness is a new challenge faced by faculty. The need to show respect for ethnic and racial plurality, as well as the need to be inclusive of women, poses a challenge to our use of language and to our actions. Few will argue about the power in/of language. The constant use of he to supposedly denote he or she reinforces the male domination of the world view and the world. One may view political correctness as saying the "right thing at the right time" in a highly politicized climate. It forces individuals such as faculty to be mindful of their language during teaching. On a cautionary note however, in the context of anti-racism and anti-sexism, it is not sufficient to be politically correct. It is a necessary but insufficient condition for redressing the race and sex bias in our institutions and curriculum. However, I fear the use or rather misuse of political correctness as the goal as opposed to an indicator of real structural and institutional readjustment for inclusion. Political correctness may have the uncanny similarity to Multiculturalism - window dressing without substance. But that is not to fault political correctness. We must guard against those wanting to hide their racist and sexist agendas behind a facade of political correctness.
Teaching effectively in the 90’s is a daunting task full of challenges. I have by no means been exhaustive in identifying challenges which also include teaching the physically challenged. The reality is that traditional educational paradigms must be challenged and changed where necessary. The traditional authorities on knowledge, the curriculum content, language, evaluation strategies, must all be re-examined with a view to bringing about an environment of inclusiveness and pluralism. These challenges cannot be ignored given the racial, cultural, and historical reality of Canada. Further, in the process of initiating change, agency must be given to the voices that advocate these changes. African Canadian, First Nations, and all Women (not just Europeans) must have a part to play.
In my own small way, I have attempted to include reference points from the backgrounds of my students. I have often held conversations with students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds to get a sense of their cultural rituals and how it differs from my own African rituals and from European rituals. I have read articles on pedagogy, and participated in discussions on curriculum design. This is by no means sufficient, and I will look for ways to broaden my world view. It is my belief that we must all embark upon that quest for a better learning environment for all of our students.
It is my opinion that we must reject the assumption inherent in what appears to be a right to teach "sans experience". Who gave us that right? It is my opinion that there is a need to critically examine the class-based notion of "academic freedom" which in my opinion has been used to impede progress. While we live in a world where are freedoms are limited by legislation, morals, values, etc., we have embraced the notion that "academic freedom" is to be limitless. This is counter to reality - freedoms are indeed limited. The reality is that racists and sexists can continue to further their agendas under the guise of "academic freedom".
So does a Ph.D. in Engineering, or History, or Language Arts prepare me for these challenges? I think not! There is a dire need for a mechanism for university professors to prepare themselves for the challenges of teaching in a pluralistic society where both sexes and all races have a grip on the mantle of power and the world view. §
