Presentation European Conference on Higher Education

Henk Swart KPZ University of Applied Sciences; Teacher Training Centre

1

Introduction: about identity and knowledge

“In these lessons we can share our identities” This, a student from Turkey, told me in one of the lessons for our International Minor-Program. Another student, also from Turkey: “In these lessons we can show our personal, emotional involvement with our own country, our own culture and in the same way show our humanitarian international orientation.” A teacher training program has always to do not only with knowledge and skills but also with values and beliefs. Not only to know what, how or when but also to know why.It is a noble and honourable task and target of education to raise new generations of social feeling and value driven citizens. Students have to develop skills and a framework of concepts with which they can handle their future, their existence as adults, as professionals. Knowledge is more than information. Information is fleeting, touches only the surface of knowing and never reaches the stage of wisdom. Much data is meaningless, without a context, without a framework of concepts. Real knowledge is the internalisation of those data which have a meaning for the learner, for his existence, for his professional being. Declarative knowledge, knowing facts is of limited meaning. You have to give sense to what you are learning.

2

About our identity

The point of view of the KPZ (Katholieke pabo Zwolle) is that the future teacher’s personality is central to the profession. Education only gets meaning for children if there is a good relationship between the teacher and the group and between the teacher and the individual child. The teacher must be able to bond with the children. Therefore it is necessary that he knows himself. What ideas does he have of himself, not only as a person but also as a future professional? And does he have any idea of the aspects of life which have helped to mould him: his family, the neighbourhood, the social environment, the school, the region and the country.What does the future teacher identify himself with? With what kind of teacher and school. Or with what kind of community? Will it be local or/and regional, or/and national, or/and European, or/and global or/and religious? Modern citizens often have more identities, multiple identities (local, regional, national, European?)

3

The point of view of the KPZ is that we can speak of professional identity if the teacher is able to connect his professional competences with his personal characteristics, his values and beliefs, his moral purposes, within the socio-cultural context in which he lives and works. In our view the professional expresses his identity by narratives. In those narratives there should be a relationship not only with the inner world of the student but also with the outside world (society, culture) including the sources of knowledge and wisdom.An important part of our curriculum: the so called See/ Sea-line: spiritual/search for meaning, ethics and aesthetics.

4

At the basis of this part of the curriculum lie the questions of the German Philosopher Kant:•What can I know? For example about the possibilities and limitations of research.•What may I hope? •What are my sources with regards to the meaning of life, of my identity?•What do I have to do? Ethics in the professional performance.•What is the essence of a human being? Is man from nature bad or good? Or determine circumstances (political, cultural, social, private) our behaviour?

5

Guided by their teacher, students, in the first two years of the curriculum, seek their own answers in religious/spiritual, philosophic and aesthetic movements, in present and in history, nearby and far away. In the third year they look for answers from the perspective of the other person, from a different culture or social environment. In the final year they formulate their answers from different sources, out of their own professional personality, related to the identity/ the culture of their practicum-school. By doing so we hope to stimulate and create a teacher with a strong personal identity, with internalised beliefs and values. With strong, tolerant, humanitarian opinions about himself, the other person, about society and cultures. Only as a strong person he can deal with the challenges of present to-day’s-education and society.

6

To offer information about democracy, the rule of law is a very limited way to promote notions of citizenship. It is very important to stimulate a value driven dialogue about controversial themes. As a teacher you always have to respect and accept every pupil as a human being. But you should take position if a student expresses antihuman and antidemocratic opinions. It is an obligation we have towards the generations who suffered from World War II.

7

8

What is the moral of my story:Only a teacher with a strong professional identity and with interiorised humanitarian values and beliefs can deal with the challenges of Today’s-society.Citizenship education needs the organisation of communication and dialogue about controversial themes.

Henk Swarth.swart@kpz.nl

Katholieke Pabo ZwolleTen Oeverstraat 688012 EW Zwollewww.kpz.nl