The Underlying guides and Principles of Teaching in my Classes

The Underlying guides and Principles of Teaching in my Classes Philosophers of education have debated the merits and demerits of imparting of pure universal knowledge and knowledge of practical wisdom needed to make judgements in practical, political and human affairs. Our experience over the last six years revealed that in our strategies of teaching and learning the two are not separated because we have to be armed with theories in order to develop capacity of objective judgement. It may be useful to remember that the instruction which governs the principles of our work as it is said many times is that “you would receive ideas from your teacher and many books recommended for your readings”, but you must develop the capacity to reformulate these ideas giving your own judgement of them and debating them with your colleagues. This is how not to be credulous. As it is our culture to make weekly presentations and as some of you used to do, you should continue to insist for proofs and arguments before agreeing with anything at all. The learning will continue like that as in political science, like in other social sciences there is no finality to knowledge. The concept of truth does not exist in development of knowledge, so do not take it that whatever one said is the truth which must be accepted by anybody. A class of learners or an individual who posit like that is a dead class or learner who would come and go with little difference in him. We need to say that in order to attain maximum success, it is the responsibility of both students and teachers. The latter would be expected: 1. To be open-minded to direct students to take appropriate steps to reach a position which will allow well-founded judgement and that which will not close discussion on the matter 2. By encouraging collaborative and team work with fair open-mindedness by the students 3. The teacher is to expose students to consult other sources to see additional evidence on what he discussed with them. 4. Ask students on their opinion about the curriculum and allow critical comments from the students. 5. In order to establish the certainty of idea, teachers should be showing that such an opinion is being expressed by such person. 6. From time to time a teacher should be asking a challenging questions that call the students to support their beliefs with argument and evidence. 7. A teacher should distinguish between a public lecture where he gives and tells his opinion and a classroom lecture where ideas, theories and facts are submitted and recognised to enhance the ability of students for learning to develop their own ideas. As for students, they should know that teachers and textbooks are fallible. They should acquire general thinking skills to enable them develop critical minds. That is why our strategies include among other things: a weekly reading of a recommended textbook by submitting a critical judgement of it; making a seminar semester essay by getting another seminar to submit critical observations; students are made to read a textbook and raise questions; etc. M.M. Yusif Department of Political Science Bayero University, Kano-Nigeria February, 2008