Podcast: Mela's Teaching Philosophy
Script:
“Do you want to be the sage on stage or the guide on the side?”
– Anonymous
This quote has floated around in the back of my head for a long time since I read it somewhere, sometime in a far far away land with dreams of becoming a professor. As I take steps towards my dreams, I find that my path in life always takes me on a journey through anything and everything that relates to education and contributing to the community. Now in my current job and in all encounters with students and members of the community, I find myself using this quote as my teaching philosophy.
The idea was that there were two kinds of teachers: the “sage” who walked around like a pitcher full of knowledge occasionally pouring into the empty vessel that was the student, or the “guide” who led the student to knowledge by furthering the person’s own curiosity and exploration. The obvious answer to that question in the quote is that the good teacher should be “the guide on the side,” not imposing his or her own knowledge, but aiding the student to self-discovery.
Granted when you are in the position whereas you are looked to for answers, it is easy to just give the answers. But the truth is, you must take the time and patience to guide the student to the answers. Encourage your students to ask questions and encourage your students use their problem solving skills. There is no harm in questions and there is no harm in being willing to take the journey with your student to find the answers. If you don’t ask, you don’t learn.
In turn, from my teaching philosophy they can become “guides on the side.”