I think that I'd fall under maybe (I usually do - I'm always about the grey area). Depends for me on the age of the students, the ability of the teacher to do it w/o oppressing others' opinions or discussion, etc.
I mean, I could see relevance for it in any aged classroom - but I don't see a point in getting into a social debate with third graders, but it would make sense with older students. I would just worry about students who DON'T agree with the teacher feeling like they're being pressured to agree or feeling like they can't speak up about their own opinions.
Overall, I'd be more in favor of it than against. But then the teachers who've done it in my classes, I've agreed with.
I've always liked knowing what my teachers beliefs were, partly because it exposes a bias that they may have and partly because I am curious. I think it should be careful how much is said, however, when a professor/teacher's own opinions come to light. For example, I had a professor who was an atheist, which was good to know because it helped me understand how he was analyzing the text, but it got a little irritating when he would tack snide and sarcastic comments about religion in his lectures. Just because you expose a bias doesn't mean you can't still try to be fair to all sides/beliefs/whatever.
I think it's a 'generally it's fine if it's done tastefully' type of thing. Like, it'd be inappropriate for most kindergarten teachers to be like, "Children! Bow before this 3-D figure I made of John McCain!" But you could make high schoolers do it. I think that'd be fine.
3 comments:
I think that I'd fall under maybe (I usually do - I'm always about the grey area). Depends for me on the age of the students, the ability of the teacher to do it w/o oppressing others' opinions or discussion, etc.
I mean, I could see relevance for it in any aged classroom - but I don't see a point in getting into a social debate with third graders, but it would make sense with older students. I would just worry about students who DON'T agree with the teacher feeling like they're being pressured to agree or feeling like they can't speak up about their own opinions.
Overall, I'd be more in favor of it than against. But then the teachers who've done it in my classes, I've agreed with.
I've always liked knowing what my teachers beliefs were, partly because it exposes a bias that they may have and partly because I am curious. I think it should be careful how much is said, however, when a professor/teacher's own opinions come to light. For example, I had a professor who was an atheist, which was good to know because it helped me understand how he was analyzing the text, but it got a little irritating when he would tack snide and sarcastic comments about religion in his lectures. Just because you expose a bias doesn't mean you can't still try to be fair to all sides/beliefs/whatever.
I think it's a 'generally it's fine if it's done tastefully' type of thing. Like, it'd be inappropriate for most kindergarten teachers to be like, "Children! Bow before this 3-D figure I made of John McCain!" But you could make high schoolers do it. I think that'd be fine.
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