Abstract
Education should be holistic and include the aims for schooling, but also equip individuals with the tools they need on their path toward self-actualization. Since education is a life-long process, it should cater to the whole person, preparing the mind, body, and soul to be an integral part of the society it serves and equipping the individual on their journey towards self-actualization. Self-actualization can be “characterized by acceptance of self and others, spontaneity, openness, relatively deep but democratic relationships with others, creativity, humor, and independence” (Slavin, 2016). To achieve these goals, I will establish a meaningful relationship with students, celebrate each student’s gifts and talents, and cultivate a positive student-teacher relationship, celebrate the diversity of my students, and nurture a community of learning to envelop each student. Participating in new experiences and making connections of knowledge are two of the most effective ways to learn and I will include opportunities for students to have new experiences and actively participate in their learning. I will teach the process of critical thinking, provide many opportunities for collaboration, and be a model or guide for students to prepare them for life in a democratic society and help them reach their greatest potential.
Schooling and Education: Schooling for a Democracy and Education for Self-Actualization
In his book, “Philosophy & Education,” George Knight cautions the novice teacher of taking an eclectic approach to philosophy and educational theory. He says to do so is to adopt an “inadequate” “smorgasbord” of philosophy, with a “patchwork quilt” of theories that is “second-best” to a “seamless tapestry” (Knight, 2006, p.165). Unfortunately, Knight’s analogy does not hold up to realities of life or the process of learning which allows humans to change their minds, reevaluate, reflect, and grow. Life, and thoughts about life, are and should be, a living body of work: collecting, adapting, growing, and improving over time, very much like a patchwork quilt. In fact, a “seamless tapestry” of philosophy and educational theories suggests very little critical thinking or analyses on the part of the subscriber. As teachers grow their philosophy of education, they should exchange ideas with a variety of people, gain more experiences, reflect on their work, and refine their goals, but the purpose of education must remain their guiding principle.
Since education is a life-long process, the purpose of education is farther reaching than the purpose of schooling. Schooling, especially in a democratic society with a publicly funded and mandated school system, must develop individuals who, at the very least, do not burden society or interfere with the goals of democracy. Ideally, however, schooling should produce responsible citizens capable of making informed decisions and actively participating in society. Education, on the other hand, should be holistic and include the aims for schooling, but also equip individuals with the tools they need on their path toward self-actualization.
Worldview and Philosophy of Life
A philosophy of life should reflect a person’s worldview and both presuppose a philosophy of education. Consequently, the three should correlate. My philosophy of life and worldview begin with the admission that I do not have enough knowledge or experience to “know” the answers, so they are a work in progress that I must continue to adapt and change. Actually, that admission says a lot about my worldview which posits that experiences shape people and that all people are driven to improve their current condition. My philosophy of life can be explained by understanding George Berkeley’s concept of “Absolute Self” or Kurt Goldstein’s idea of self-actualization. Berkeley was a Christian idealist who coined the idea of Absolute Self to represent what a person uniquely made in “the image of God” might be like (Knight, 2006). Goldstein, a neuropsychiatrist with a more biological approach to Berkeley’s idea, identified that:
(a) self-actualization is the process of individuation—that is, the emergence of a self; (b) that it must be holistically observed—that is, that the total organism and environment must be taken into consideration; and (c) that it is the single and only impetus or drive of an organism—that is, all behavior can be understood in terms of self-actualization. (Whitehead, 2017, p.72).
While both theories may seem like they are very humanistic or individualistic, they also emphasize the importance of a harmonious relationship with society as an integral part to individuals reaching the ultimate version of themselves. This idea was illustrated in Urie Brofenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development, which- with the child in the center and culture in the outermost concentric circle- acknowledges the reciprocal effect of the relationship between an individual and their ecosystem (Slavin, 2016). The best illustration of the cooperation and co-dependency between the individual and society is in Romans:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (Romans 12: 2-6, NIV).
The relationships between the parts of the system are the meaning of life and the quest for harmony is the purpose of life.
Philosophy of Schools and Learning
As stated earlier, the life long process of education should be holistic- teaching the body, mind, and soul; incorporate the aims of the schools- teaching the ideals of democracy and the characteristics of a socially responsible citizen; and lead individuals toward reaching self-actualization- teaching critical thinking and self-reflection. Schools though, should serve a different purpose; they should also teach the whole student, teach in accordance with the school’s aims, and help students reach their highest potential. In Ken Dickens’ article “The Purpose of Education: Why do we go to school?” he says that schools in the West are for teaching basic skills, introducing a foundation of knowledge, tracking students for their futures, and supervising children while their parents are working (2014). While schools may indeed fulfill those utilitarian functions, they are and should not be the only goals. Since schooling accounts for a small part of an education, schools should remember the words of John Dewey: “The result of the educative process is capacity for further education” (Jackson, 2014).
Before philosopher and educational reformer, John Dewey recognized the profound effect that environment and experience play on education and values and he emphasized that education should train students for the constantly and rapidly changing world. He realized that the world can be an unpredictable and unfair place and students need to be prepared to navigate that world (Jackson, 2014). Similarly, John Boyd “was convinced that one’s mind was the best weapon, and hence, well-trained and well-educated people, who think well and quickly” are society’s best asset (Hammond, 2001).
Instructional Practice. With an educational theory that recognizes the importance of self-actualization, I would be remiss not to mention Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which culminates in the idea of self-actualization. Maslow suggests that for an individual to meet self-actualization, their more basal, physical needs must be met before they can satisfy emotional needs, and fulfilled emotional needs are essential to seeking higher growth needs and eventually reaching self-actualization (Slavin, 2016). Maslow describes self-actualization as “the desire to become everything that one is capable of becoming” (Slavin, 2016, p.251). To help students on their path toward self-actualization I must cultivate a positive student-teacher relationship, celebrate the diversity of my students, and foster an effective community for learning.
Regarding the curriculum, all subjects are equally as important as they all play an equal and complementary part to developing an individual and harnessing their position in society. In fact, the varied curriculum is desired because the variety helps students form intricate connections between new and old knowledge. As an agent of public schools, public education should also have a strong focus on government, civilizations, and social sciences. A holistic education is also important for a theory concerning body, mind and soul. To benefit the body, the instruction should literally be active. For the mind, classroom practices would include project-based learning, collaborative experiences and lots of opportunities for discussion. Finally, to nurture the soul, I would encourage reflective practices like journaling.
Teacher-Learner Relationships. While the schooling part of an education may last about twelve years, each teacher only has about nine months to help their students experience as much as possible and mentor them. Teachers in school are older than their students, meaning they have ore experiences and education. In this way, they are also farther on their own path toward self-actualization than their students, so they should act as a mentor or coach figure and help students on their own paths. Although teaching often happens with the elder teaching the younger, teachers should remember, though, that they too are on an educational journey and humble themselves to the varying worldviews of their students. As discussed in the previous section, experiences are a very valuable way to learn and teachers should try to provide their students a wide variety of experiences. They should also help their students think critically by teaching the steps for critical thinking, but also by modeling effective critical thinking methods.
Modeling can be an important part of learning. Albert Bandura, a psychologist, observed and analyzed the process of modeling developed a four-phase theory. In the first phase, teachers must get the students attention, then the teacher models the desired behavior, then students practice the behavior, and in the fourth phase, students reproduce the modeled behavior (Slavin, 2016). In addition to his theory about modeling, Bandura also recognized the importance of self-regulation, which is when students observe their own behavior, compare it to the behavior of others or societal norms, then reward or punish themselves accordingly. This idea of self-reflection and self-regulation is extremely important to reaching self-actualization. In fact, self-reflection is an important step in critical thinking, which is an essential component to evaluating experiences and living in harmony.
Dewey introduced a five-step process for transforming experience into knowledge which requires encountering a problem, an initial emotional response to the problem, imagining possible solutions, evaluating the possible solutions, and testing the most reasonable solution (Knight, 2006). In an unwritten step, self-reflection must take place after the test because if the most reasonable solution fails, problem solving experience is to pick back up at the fourth phase (2006). In Facione’s work on critical thinking he recognizes almost the exact same steps of identifying the problem, determining relevant information, enumerating options, making a preliminary decision, and scrutinizing to see if correction is needed (2015). Another aspect of critical thinking is that being able to discern relevant information from the fray and organize new, vital knowledge in an orderly fashion is at least as important as learning new information (Slavin, 2016). In other words, students learn best when they are actively learners instead of passive receivers. Good critical thinking skills are not only a desired trait “21st century workers,” but are also necessary to learn new information, develop resiliency by trial and error, and achieve self-actualization.
Diversity. Along with being known as the “first existentialist,” Soren Kierkegaard is famous for saying: “Once you label me you negate me.” Educators must think of this before they group children in any way other than random grouping. It is not beneficial for anyone to be labeled. The Bible tells us that each person is gifted (in the literal sense of “given a gift”) and uniquely created by God’s handiwork. As teachers, it is our responsibility to celebrate these gifts and guide children as they develop their talents; after all, we should be helping them toward self-actualization. Random grouping ensures that there is a natural design behind grouping. To accomplish this, teachers can count off or draw popsicle sticks with students’ names. By chance then, in some instances, students will interact with other children that have similar backgrounds, interests, and abilities, but in other instances they will be a part of a more diverse group. This is often how life works and so random grouping is great practice for interacting with different groups in the real world. Dewey also celebrated the benefits of diversity, believing “the true good of the community could never be completely achieved, or even completely determined” without frequent “interaction[s] of diverse individuals, none of whom possess a monopoly on truth” (Jackson, 2014).
Community of Education. In Broffenbrenner’s bioecological model, the “meosystem-consisting of family, friends, the church, doctors, and teachers- is the primary influence on a child. It is important that these influences share a common purpose for education and life, or at the very least, a series of consistent values to communicate to the child. Before students even go to school, the child’s “microsystem,” or family and home play the biggest role on their development. In Plato’s The Republic, Socrates says “the beginning is the most important part of any work, especially the case of a young and tender thing; for that is the time at which the character is being formed and the desired impression is more readily taken” (trans, 1894, p.49). While children do not need to be exposed to a rigid education of transmitting knowledge, they should be given lots of opportunities to play (trans, 1894). As a child’s primary source for education during the early years, parents should be viewed by teachers as a partner in education, and relationships should be built, so children see how adults and different realms of society cooperate. Teachers should also look for clues when communicating with parents to understand family values and try to develop goals for each child that respect their family values while leading the child on their path of reaching their potential.
Conclusion. Author C.S. Lewis uses the imagery of three ships sailing on the ocean to represent the three parts of morality, which are explained as the relationship between two people, the relationship between a man and the things within himself, and the relationship with man and his creator (Lewis, 1952). Just as humans can go awry, so too can a fleet of ships. Often, Lewis says, ships forcefully collide into one another and inflict damage (1952, p. 71). On the other hand, sometimes, ships drift apart. In both cases the whole fleet, is impacted, no longer cooperating and sailing as one (1951). An effective fleet must also be made up of sea-worthy ships that have been properly maintained, with each of the parts of the individual ship working properly and harmoniously (1952). The most important part of a successful voyage, however, is that all the individuals and the collective whole know what destination they are sailing to; for as Lewis says the “voyage would be a failure if it were meant to reach New York and actually arrive at Calcutta” (1954, P. 72).
The Creation Mandate gives mankind a purpose as God said: “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” Shortly after this, sin entered the world, making that purpose for man a daily cahllenge, so he gave us His word to help keep us on His path. Throughout the Bible a couple of simple words- serve and love- provide constant guidance toward fulfilling God’s mandate and our quest to live in His image. We are to serve our families, communities, civilizations, culture, and most importantly, our Lord. We are also to love ourselves, share our love with each and every other person, and love our Lord. As people age, they get better at fulfilling these tasks because their relationships, experiences, body, mind and soul have culminated to a beautiful existence. In this way, the life of someone who has is closest to their Absolute Self, could be seen as a patchwork quilt, a beautiful collection of different colors, patterns, and textures all coming together in harmony.