Aspects that Shape an Individual - Essay Example

Vision Paper It is difficult to point to a few factors or aspects that shape the way an individual becomes the way he does. A major argument regarding this topic is the nature versus nurture debate. Those coming from the perspective of ‘nature’, argue that humans are the result of their genes – the human is subject to fixed and unchangeable factors such as class, race and gender and it is these aspects of nature that make an individual who he is. Thus, authors such as Charon (1987) argue that we should only refer to innate characteristics when discussing human nature and not look at aspects of the environment that play a part in shaping an individual. The nurture perspective sees individuals as cultural beings, shaped and influenced by their surroundings, upbringing and experiences. A modern approach to this debate is to not see it as a ‘either’ ‘or’ debate but rather realize that both play an important role in the development of an individual.     Even if we look at just the environmental and cultural aspects, we find a wide range of factors differing in importance (depending on the individual) which shape and define how the individual turns out. One major factor is socialization that is, the way one learns about the rules and norms governing one’s society. These rules and norms are learnt, internalized and then applied. There are various agents who play a role in an individual’s socialization; the major actors are parents or those who are responsible for bringing up the child. It is at this stage when an individual acquires a language, develops a personality and learns and absorbs about the roles one is expected to play. Norms regarding acceptable behavior and interaction with others is also learnt. This is known as primary socialization and it is considered one of the most critical stages in the development of an individual. It is important to realize however, that socialization is a lifelong process; it never ends. Another very important aspect in the development of an individual is the impact of formal education. It starts at an early age and it shapes and develops the way an individual perceives the world and interacts with others. It is at these educational institutes that one is first put in a situation of being with ‘peers’. Contact with peers enables one to interact with those of equal standing and it develops capable patterns of behavior. The benefits of such an interaction are that it reinforces for the individual the correct methods of conduct. Not only that, but peers serve as role models for one another. The drawback of such interaction is that mistreatment by peers at a young age, or rejection by them into their circle of friends can do great harm to the self esteem of the individual. Reactions to such rejection by peers can be varied (depending on severity of the mistreatment or bullying). It may scar the child for life and lead to bitterness. It might also lead the child to be more prone to violence at a later stage in his life. Then again, it might also lead to the child becoming averse to mistreatment of others. Nothing definite can be said of the way a child’s personality is developed through such interaction because it depends from case to case. What we do know however, is that interaction with peers is a major factor in the development of ones sense of self. Media is another extremely critical tool through which the values of a society are transmitted to individuals. According to Graber (1980) children in the US tend to give more time to television than to the s=time spent in their classrooms. Media is one of the main sources of knowledge and information for many of us; hence, the content shown in the media shapes what we believe and know about the world and it impacts our interaction with the rest of society as well as the social institutions of that society. Having discussed the various factors that may shape how an individual turns out to be, we can now turn to a discussion of ideas of the kind of teacher one may want to be. The teacher is in a position of authority and it must be realized that with authority comes accountability. As Esler (1972) says, there is now increased accountability within the profession of teaching which has resulted in teachers being more active and conscientious toward what is expected of them. There are several responsibilities and expectations that a teacher must fulfill in order to be considered a good teacher (although it must be recognized that the kind of expectations from the teacher will depend on the age group of the students being taught) The basic and fundamental purpose of a teacher is to ‘teach’, that is to impart wisdom and knowledge. Thus one criterion by which to judge if a teacher is doing his or her job successfully is to see if the students’ knowledge and understanding is increasing. But simply reiterating what one knows is not enough for one to be considered a good teacher. The method through which this knowledge is imparted is important; student should not only understand and comprehend what is being taught to them but their curiosity and interest in the subject should also increase. A critical aspect in this would be class participation. A mark of a good teacher would be the ability to encourage students to form opinions and voice them, hence inculcating in them the skill to communicate their thoughts effectively, while at the same time inculcating a tolerance and patience among them to listen to the differing points of views of others without getting into an argument or fight. This brings us to another key aspect dealing with the kind of class culture that is established by the teacher. It is important, first and foremost, that rules are established, communicated to the students and effectively implemented. Only when there are set rules, will order and smooth functioning be established within the classroom, leading to an environment inductive to learning. Both rewards and punishments should be used as a way to encourage following of rules. However, these rules should not be rigid, but be made by the consent of the students and be open to change in case of a valid reason. The kind of relationship and bond formed between the teacher and student will depend precisely on the culture established. Since the job of the teacher is to bring out the creativity in students, encourage them to voice their opinion, help them with their problems, and create an environment that promotes learning, it is important that the teaching style adopted is not one of domination, but rather one of facilitation. Thus, it should be the case that the teacher is ‘approachable’. Students should not only be comfortable enough to discuss school related problems with the teacher but also personal issues one might be facing. There should also be a relationship of mutual trust between the two. There is a key aspect that differentiates between a good teacher and one who is not, and this is recognition of the differences that exist between the students. Such a teacher would recognize that each child is unique, and they all have had a different upbringing. There would be acceptance of diversity, of the fact that the intelligence level of the students will differ and so will the interest level in various subjects as well as skills in particular areas. Thus, Vasquez and Wainstein (1990) discuss the popular notion that minority students do badly because of biological or linguistic deficiencies; they ague that this is not necessarily true, and consideration should be given to cultural differences too. These cultural norms are not necessarily inferior to the cultural norms followed by the majority. Thus, a successful teacher would be one who manages to discover within the teaching period, the different interests and skills each student has, and then to work with the students in such a way so as to bring out this creativity. Not showing favoritism is another mark of a fine teacher. Also authors such as Solomon (1987) have discussed how the idea that the teacher knows all is a redundant concept and that it must be realized that teaching is a learning process for both the student and the teacher; it is not just the student learning from the teacher, rather it is a mutual process. Thus, teachers should have an attitude of wanting to learn from the students an gaining from their input. Teachers have a responsibility towards the whole profession of teaching, according to Ferrell (1943). They must maintain the quality of teaching and uphold its integrity. Regardless of all this, as Sizemore ( 1981) says, it must be kept in mind that many a times, the attempts of teachers to create a classroom environment conducive to learning may be unsuccessful, despite the efforts of the teacher. Having considered the qualities one must possess and kind of behavior one must adopt to be considered a good teacher, we can now finally move to the quest to reach this goal that is, how it will be achieved and what will be required. To do this, the first step that must be taken is to see teaching, not as a business but as a profession. With this, and of equal importance, is to have a passion for this profession. Only then will the above be possible. The most important out of all of this is to be someone who sees others as individuals, someone who recognizes the differences between people, accepting, appreciating and learning from these differences. Once this belief in valuing differences and appreciating them becomes internalized in an individual, that individual is able to transcend his personal biases and reach the mission of being a teacher that is culturally sensitive, hence achieving the goal of developing a culturally responsive classroom. The kinds of qualities to reach such a stage would require that the teacher is helpful, explains well, has a good sense of humor, is able to bring out the creativity in the students, is not partial to students who score higher in terms of grades, allows students to make mistakes and learn from them, recognizes diversity and appreciates it, helps resolve conflicts and problems amongst the students and is open to challenging questions and opinions that may differ from the view of the teacher. Thus, the taking up of such characteristics would culminate in the development of a teacher that serves the purpose that teachers are supposed to perform.           References Charon, Joel. (1987) The Meaning of Sociology: A Reader. Englewood, CA: Prentice hall. Esler, K. William (1972) Accountability: The Teachers Perspective. The Clearing House, Vol. 46, No. 9 (May, 1972), pp. 531-534. Heldref Publications Ferrell, Lexie (1943) The Responsibility of the Teacher to Stay in the Profession. Peabody Journal of Education, Vol. 21, No. 2. pp. 67-70. Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Graber, Doris. (1980) Mass Media and American Politics. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press Sizemore, W Robet. (1981) Do Black and White Students Look for the Same Characteristics in Teachers? The Journal of Negro Education, Vol. 50, No. 1 (Winter, 1981), pp. 48-53. Journal of Negro Education Solomon, Joan. (1987) New Thoughts on Teacher Education. Oxford Review of Education, Vol. 13, No. 3 (1987), pp. 267-274. Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Vasquez, A James & Wainstien, Nancy. (1990) Instructional Responsibilities of College Faculty to Minority Students. The Journal of Negro Education, Vol. 59, No. 4 (Autumn, 1990), pp. 599-610. Journal of Negro Education Read More