What Does it REALLY Mean to Teach?

April 9, 2019, by aeylb8

LISTEN UP! I want to teach you something…

This morning I attended an interesting philosophy lecture all about teaching. Andy Fisher and Jonathan Tallant (lecturers at UoN!) have written a fascinating paper which argues that teaching is ‘judgement-dependent’. This means that it’s up to the student to decide if they’re being taught.

They say that teaching occurs if an individual, in ideal conditions (no restrictions, sober, etc.), judges that they are being taught.

Confused? Let me explain…

First Of All, How Has ‘Teaching’ Been Defined?

Some philosophers have said that when teaching occurs, either something was learnt, or there was an intention to teach.

BUT, there are instances of ‘teaching’ where nothing is learnt or where the teacher does not intend to teach anything.

Does Learning Have To Occur?

Imagine a swimming instructor who tries (and fully intends) to teach her pupil, Bob, how to swim, but Bob does not learn anything and can’t swim by the end of the lesson.

This suggests that learning does not have to occur.

Does Teaching Have To Be Intentional?

Imagine there’s an actor who plays the part of a teacher but does not intend to actually teach the class of children anything at all. Despite this, the children learn all of the material accurately and are said to have learnt something. The children learn, but the actor doesn’t intend to teach.

So, teaching does not have to be intentional.

YOU Be The Judge.

Instead, Fisher and Tallant say that teaching occurs if the individual judges that they are being taught.

So There You Have It…

When you come to your first lecture, YOU be the judge. It is up to YOU to decide whether you’ve been taught or not!

What Does it REALLY Mean to Teach?

LISTEN UP! I want to teach you something…