Something to think about...

I feel as if I'm on a new journey of discovery. Every page I read these days brings new information and prompts questions. The questions are all seem to be pointing to one big question... "What type of teacher do I want to be?"
My latest discovery is the concept of the liberationist teacher. This is a new team for me and I latched onto it immediately. What is a liberationist teacher?  Part of the definition is simple and yet a true teacher of this style would provide a few well chosen sentences and then let the reader (or student) explore those ideas and see where they lead. This concept intrigues me because I believe firmly in a student being his own best motivator for what he learns. A simple definition of a liberationist teacher would be a teacher that guides a student to explore, question and discover his own meaning and purpose in the world around him. The goal would be a young human that is contributing to the world around him and making it a better place through his own efforts. Imparting knowledge is a specific goal of the liberationist, but reciting facts and memorizing dates is not the same thing as imparting knowledge. For the liberationist teacher to be successful the student must seek out the knowledge that is important and can make him a better contributor to the world outside of his own "personal bubble".
It is exciting to think about empowering students in this way. However, the risk is that not all students (or teachers) can or will respond to this type of classroom environment. Many teachers, students and administrators in todays educational climate require the concrete test scores, the "proof" that something was taught and therefore something was learned. How can the liberationist teacher provide these results?  I really do not know. However, I still maintain that traditional teaching is not working and that this progressive style might be a tool to incorporate into some of the lessons.  Students need to be able to take charge of their education and I believe this is a step towards empowering them to do so.