A Critical Exploration of Roles and Professionalism Essay

A Critical Exploration of Roles and Professionalism - Essay Example Professionalism in this respect and in relation to this paper and that of teaching profession in England shall be taking to encompass teacher’s conduct, their commitment to quality and to learners and upholding of positive attitude. A desirable teacher is the one who assists the learners to learn. The roles undertaken by the teacher require both educational expertise as well as content knowledge. As briefly indicated earlier, the teacher acts as a facilitator, as a role model to the learners, as an information provider, as a leaning resources developer, as a planner and as an assessor. In England the teacher is supposed to pass on information as well as knowledge to the learners. This is presumably the primary role that the teacher plays in facilitating leaning. Here the teacher is expected to share their thoughts in assisting to illuminate the ideas that underlie a certain subject of study. As a role model the teacher should uphold good moral grounds that every learner should emulate. The teacher on the other hand should at all time act as a learning facilitator and a mentor to their learners (Shirley et al. 1984). In England there has been a move towards having a more learner centred learning. Therefore, the teacher has become more of a facilitator in the learning process. The teacher is also taken to be an assessor of learners’ competence. This is where the teacher is supposed to be an excellent examiner who is able to incorporate all the assessment issues. The teacher is supposed to come up with the required learning outcomes as well as assess the learn ers’ leaning outcomes. In the process of assessing the learners’ competence in grasping the content taught, the teacher also assess themselves as the results indicate the effectiveness of the teaching processes applied there before. This encompasses the evaluation role that the teachers should play in instilling knowledge which forms a

Schweitzer and his Reverence for Life Philosophy Research Paper

Schweitzer and his Reverence for Life Philosophy - Research Paper Example Albert Schweitzer’s ‘Reverence for Life’ philosophy not only applies to human beings, but states the importance of applying love, compassion, and caring to plants and animals as well. This philosophy can be seen as related to early modern attempts to integrate the teachings of Eastern religions into the Western worldview. In the history of many ethical philosophies around the world, regarding all living things as being sacred and equal to human life is a viewpoint that has been excluded as a social foundation for morality and ethics. Schweitzer accepted the truth to be that all life is sacred and holy, and from this believed we can only inflict death on another living being out of necessity. For most people in the world, love, compassion, and kindness extends to human beings only as a basis for morality, and animals or plants are viewed as subservient life forms whose views are not important to consult in developing society or the progress of evolution. For Albert Schweitzer, the ‘Reverence for Life’ philosophy was seen as a means to reform or change this moral failure in the West based upon the view that all of life is holy and sacred. Schweitzer’s philosophy drew heavily on the principles of Eastern religions, particularly Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism.... er, Schweitzer tried to live his views at the highest level and has become a symbol of humanitarianism and altruism in the service of an expanded view of life in the universe and moral awareness. Schweitzer’s ‘Reverence for Life’ philosophy can be seen in many ways as similar to Gandhi’s ‘Satyagraha,’ yet scholars state that the two historical figures never met directly. (Isaacs, 2008) Schweitzer himself writes that the teachings of Buddhism were discovered by him in following the Schopenhauer-Nietzsche lineage, and that Nietzsche’s â€Å"Exaltation for Life† philosophy impressed him along with the moral, Unitarian, and compassionate basis of Eastern religion in building his personal views. (Isaacs, 2008) One aspect that shows Schweitzer’s sincerity in humanitarianism is the fact that he returned to education to study medicine after already being a famous and respected writer on humanitarian philosophy. (Joy, 1950) His choi ce of the medicine profession and example of service in Africa was meant to be a living example of his humanitarian philosophy, and it was, in the highest sense. In contrast to the racism, imperialism, and brutality of some Europeans during the Colonial era, Schweitzer’s path of action can be seen as consistent with Christianity, with Eastern religions, and also with the combined moral essence that is gathered from study of all religions in unity. Schweitzer’s philosophy related to Theosophy, Anthroposophy, Satyagraha and other attempts by modern thinkers, scholars, and leaders in Europe to introduce the profound truths of Eastern religion to the West. Yet, Schweitzer’s focus on the humanitarian aspects of service which overcame the racist and violent aspects of Imperialism through peaceful non-violence and loving kindness cannot