It is a form of stewarship - putting students in a position to succeed and a better position than those that have gone before them.
Hi Penny:
I understad your point. I think excitement and interest come from within each individual student; therefore to me, these are student experiences or outcomes. I do think it's possible to crete a learning environment that promotes and fosters these traits.
I do agree that within our youth resides the future. So, perhaps the goal is giving or tranfering all we have so that the next generation can take it further and further.
Regards, Barry
The goal of educating students to me is to make sure that the students are excited about what I am teaching them and interested in the subject. These students are our future and who will one day be caring for us and teaching the next generation.
Hi Victoria:
Nice axiom. We are facilitators as much as teachers sometimes. I believe the more the student participates in their learning, the more meaningful and memorable their studies will be. So we can be all things to our students, helping them along as the need demands.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jocelyn:
I would add that if a course has Student Learning Outcomes (SLO's) stated, then the goal would be to assure the SLO's are met. Correctly written SLO's determine the "what" part of the lesson component.
Regards, Barry
My concept of educating students is to be "a guide by their side" and help them discover and acquire information that will allow them to reach their goals.
Educating students is to provide them the groundwork and the skills to be able to educate themselves further in the future for that topic.
Students should be able to understand the fundamentals of the topics and be able to grow further should they desire to.
Jocelyn Dervis
Hi Todd:
As educators, I think the goal is to transfer our specific knowledge to students. Of course we rely on a variety of resources to do this.
Regards, Barry
Educating students validates my employment and gives job satisfaction - Students are a guided ouput to my inputs
Hi William:
True and applicable sentiments. I like your military axiom - I had heard that used before, but it is a good one.
I believe that as educator, our basic goal is to transfer knowledge we have to our students. We have life experience, formal and informal training, work experience, character and integrety. Many of students are lacking in many of these attributes. If we care, we want to pass on all that we can with nthe hope that these individuals will take waht we give themj and improve upon or take the information further than we will ever be able to in a normal lfetime. "Progress lies with our youth" (Barry Westling 2010).
Regards, Barry
In addition to equipping them to face the challenges directly in front of them it is as important to give them the tools to overcome future challenges that we haven't even imagined. Education is the only means to deal with the unforseen. One of the things that you hear often, particularly in military settings, is that you train for certainty and educate for uncertainty. Allow it doesn't fit in every situation, it is definitely a good general guide.
A good example is a medical student. We need to make sure that they are trained in things like exam procedures, test results, etc. but if they don't have the underlying education (e.g. anatomy, physiology, etc) those skills are meaningless. We need both to produce effective doctors, lawyers, electricians, not to mention teachers!
Hi Issac:
One way to view this question is to think about ourselves as subject matter experts. Our relationship and purpose with our students is to try to impart as much as possible the knowledge, skills, and expertise we've gained through education and work experience and transfer that to them through lessons, resources, and planned activities.
Regards, Barry
my thought is that educating will get them prepared for the career path they have decieed on. This is done by teaching and giving them the tools to help them.
Hi Kristie:
That is surely a hoped-for outcome, I'd say. And that can only occur when committed, dedicated teachers who care about their students are involed in the instructional process.
Regards, Barry
I think that the goal of educating students in to prepare them to be successful in their respective field.
Hi Stephen:
I think when one is empowered, they become capable of almost unlimited opportunity, diminished only by their own shortsighteness. Our job, in part, is to open those visions of a brighter future.
Regards, Barry
Hi Dr. A:
Absoutely, our students have to move beyond where they begin with us. Transfering all we have is the only hope we have for future improvements, ideas, and opportunities (as you previsously stated).
Regards, Barry
Hi Ellen:
I think if our objectives are set correctly, and we teach those objectives, the students are bound to learn the material. There are a lot of variable but this is a simplified definition statement.
Regards, Barry
Hi Stephen:
Good definition.Empowerment through guided learning and applied to their career.
Regards, Barry
Hi David:
I think if students can see the end results and the benefits, we have caught their attention. Now, they're more receptive to our instructional techniques.
Regards, Barry
