Teachers as Public Intellectuals - Essay Example

TEACHERS AS PUBLIC INTELLECTUALS By The of the The of the School The and The Date In essence, public intellectuals are not only intelligent and learned people, but also well known for their written works and other social-cultural contributions being recognized by readers, academic audiences and the society in general (Collins Dictionaries 2015, par. 1). Therefore, public intellectuals are individuals who use their knowledge, skills, and expertise to help improve their community. On a similar note, they need not to be celebrated scientists or inventors, but people who make a difference in the society’s social and cultural development. In principle, teachers are the second guide and protector after the parent. Significantly, they mold the child by introducing him/her to the foundations of education and making the student conversant with how to interact with others. Similarly, teachers’ contributions to society are by molding and developing the future generation in accordance with the social and cultural structures of the given community. For instance, it is the role of teachers to provide moral and intellectual leadership to the youth by preparing them to be critical thinkers and active citizens in society. Significantly, life is a journey encompassing experience and knowledge gained. Therefore, one meets individuals who build their characters and adds some benefits to their lives as a whole. For instance, too many people in Baltimore Mr. Jim Beglin are nothing short of a public intellectual. Furthermore, being a sociology teacher Mr. Beglin has been able to enlighten the students on the need for better social behavior, planning, and political consciousness. Therefore, with Mr. Beglin as their educator students at Bishop Walsh School have been able to quench their thirst for knowledge while at the same time get to be influenced by right living subscribing to the conscious doctrine of life. Mr. Beglin subscribes to the philosophy of integrity, and hard work pays off. In essence, by equipping and always reminding his students of the need to be true to themselves and only rely on what one has worked for has improved the students’ behavior and attitude to an admirable level. Therefore, through motivating his students and assuring them of the significant benefits that accrue to an individual, who strives to earn and live on his/her sweat. Significantly, this doctrine has been spread to how the students carry themselves and act in society, hence influencing even more members of the community. In principle, Mr. Beglin noting the need to educate more people in Baltimore, he started hosting debates and talks on a community level to tackle real life issues that are related to cheating. In essence, Mr. Beglin tries to reach as many people in the society as possible and through the community talks, change can be felt and many people comprehend the grave mistake of relying on shortcuts in life. Furthermore, he says if an individual is used to easy come items, and achievements he or she is bound to fail when challenges that give no options for alternatives strike. Therefore, it is wise to live by ones sweat and from there learns individual’s limits and strength. Mr. Jim Beglin as an educator has been able to convince the Baltimore community to wake up and produce a society that comprises of hardworking individuals. In essence, this is crucial since any economic and social development demands for individuals who are self-driven and able to solve problems that come their way. According to Mr. Beglin a society that is built on the fundamental principles of integrity can never fail nor miss out on development. Mr. Beglin went forth and published an article explaining the need for individuals to learn to be truthful so as to achieve what is rightfully theirs. On a similar note, Mr. Beglin examined and postulated the theory that it is only through ignoring the integrity at lower levels, such as school exams that result in national level corruption. In principle, Mr. Beglin believes that corrupt officials be it in government or just in the private sector all started at a young age and grew up as the evil people they are today. On a similar note, Mr. Beglin draws support from Henry A Giroux article on the idea that the emergence of an enlightened public is fundamental to the growth and development of social critics (Giroux 1988, p. 7). In essence, by educating the public on the social conundrums that come with shortcuts then the public can start being diligent on what happens in society. According to Mr. Beglin what is imprinted in one’s childhood is what is observed when such individuals grow up. Therefore, there is the need to teach young people while they are still young the way to carry themselves, values to possess, and the attitude to have when facing life. In principle, Mr. Beglin incorporates his ideologies to his way of teaching, citing real life examples so as to connect on a personal and emotional level with his audience. Significantly, at Bishop Walsh School Mr. Beglin stands out as one of the most influential teachers ever with students relating more to what he has to say. Moreover, the school opted to make him the guidance and counseling teacher due to students ease and readiness to share their social problems with him. Furthermore, as a teacher, he is exceptional and even better as a public intellectual in the eyes of many who know him. In essence, many of those students who passed through Mr. Beglin’s hands and grasped the philosophy he taught are successful individuals who have helped shape Baltimore to what it is now. In principle, touching lives is said to be the definition of life as all value it. Concurrently, a public intellectual is expected to do nothing short of that, and it is simply because of this that Mr. Beglin is a true public intellectual whose work and teachings keep improving the Baltimore society. Modern theorists have developed the view that teaching should not only be based on the curriculum and education materials, but instead be incorporated with the critical and continuous questioning with high level curiosity that which is taken for granted in school practice and knowledge. Furthermore, according to modern theorists schooling should not be a method of reproducing skilled laborers, but necessarily be a way of empowering the community to produce a dominant society that comprises of elements who are critical active citizens (Posner 2003, p. 23). Need to say; to modern theorists like Henry A. Giroux a teacher’s key role is to develop the student in order to better the society in general. Moreover, teachers have the ability to influence the right needed morale and self-belief that any individual needs to succeed in life. In essence, John Michael believes that through a teacher’s way of improving theoretical elements of schooling to critical models that produces strategic thinkers is one reason as to why teachers should be hailed as public intellectuals (Michael 2000, p. 123). Moreover, teachers take a keen interest in understanding the complex cultural characteristics of both dominant and recessive cultures. Therefore, by doing so, a teacher can appreciate the existence of this distinction and be able to reach out to both parties. In principle, as a public intellectual, teachers can note the power characterized in each culture and how they define it will help improve the view students have of reality. In comparison, public intellectuals are known first to learn more about the culture of the society they are to help before leaping in to offer their advice and point of view. Furthermore, this means that teachers are a perfect example of public intellectuals and should be treated as such. In principle, any society is a product of what teachers choose to produce in their teachings. Significantly, if students fall under the guidance and mentorship of a bad teacher the probability that they will fail the society is high. Therefore, it would be unwise to lower the level, and the role teachers play as public intellectuals (Giroux 2015, par. 1). In essence, for every great man out there, a great intellectual mind, mentored him or her and installed in such an individual value and moral decrees that helped shape such a person to the great man or woman he or she is today. Henry A. Giroux believes that as it is the role of teachers to influence and bring out the best in the society so is the duty of the society to appreciate these public intellectuals for who they truly are in the community (Giroux 2015, par. 4). Public intellectuals were in the past viewed to be individuals in the university level publishing books and giving academic talks to the then scholars. However, modern theorists have come and set the facts straight by giving accounts as to the big role the teachers play in building the needed foundation in education for the lecturers to continue from (Giroux 2012, par. 2). Furthermore, it is the teacher who creates and helps improve the view society has towards education. In essence, being the first mentors in a student’s long academic journey they plant in that child the belief in oneself and the ability to start from minute things (Elliaeson & Kalleberg 2008, pg. 58). Therefore, many may take it to the streets and demonstrate against this simple fact, but the truth is teachers are public intellectuals who everyone in society has gone through their wits and counsel, their wisdom and guidance to be where one is at the moment. According to Giroux, there is the need for teachers on their part to start raising questions on issues that try to find out the truth in the interests of society. In essence, as the individual’s first mentor teachers have considerable influence in society and they can sway public opinion and even instigate change (Giroux 1988, pg. 5). However, teachers may not hold rallies and host television shows to air their views on real life issues happening in society, but through their day to day interactions and educating the students they bring the change. Therefore, teachers all over have started to incorporate into their curriculum and teachings real life scenarios citing examples of the known social situations affecting the community (Giroux 2012, par. 2). Moreover, by doing so, teachers triggered a student’s mind to think outside the norm and be able to gain knowledge and wisdom as days go. In principle, to be accepted as a public intellectual one is expected to write and publish his or her ideas so as to share with society. In essence, teachers such as is the case with Mr. Beglin also do publish their writings that are well received by society and help improve the social, cultural structures in that given community. However, many may be ignorant to the massive role teachers play as public intellectuals, but the fact remains that as the mentors of the society and counselors to every parent’s children they stand more as a public intellectual in every way. According to McCormick, it is the role of teachers to enlighten students on political events happening in the society. In essence, by doing so, students get to be aware of the political environment and learn to ask the right questions that can help improve the social status of their communities. Therefore, it is first under the teacher’s guidance and mentorship that students get to know about politics and what ideologies fit them best and could benefit their society. In essence, during historical time teachers used to follow the laid out curriculum and did little to equip students with the needed knowledge to deal with practical things that came their way (McCormick 2011, p. 39). On a similar note, it is because of this that the society rubbed teachers off as members of the public intellectuals. However, with many teachers knowing there is need to build better candidates of a future community there is a shift in how the laid curriculum is followed. In principle, many teachers like is the case of Mr. Jim Beglin have gone out of the norm and opted to incorporate in their teaching elements of real life issues and what a student needs to survive in the real world (Berlatsky 2015, par. 7). However, teaching the students may seem minute and not enough, and it is from such that such teachers form unions and movements through which they enlighten the community and help elevate the society’s levels of social, economic, and cultural aspects. Significantly, many people are yet to appreciate what teachers do for our societies in general. Similarly, it may all be due to ignorance or utter pride associated with the term public intellectuals. However, critical analysis of what teachers do for each and every member of the students’ body, it is evident that they are more than public intellectuals. Moreover, it is because a teacher chose to spend time and energy on individuals like us that the society has developed through time. Bibliography Berlatsky, N. (2015). Death to the ‘Public Intellectual.’ Available from: Collins Dictionaries. (2015). Public Intellectuals: Definations. Available from: Elliaeson, S., & Kalleberg, R. (2008). Academics as public intellectuals. Newcastle, Cambridge Scholars. Giroux, H. A. (2015). The Public Intellectual. Available from: Giroux, H. A. (2012). The Disappearance of Public Intellectuals. Available from: < http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/10/08/the-disappearance-of-public-intellectuals/> Giroux, H. A. (1988). Teachers as intellectuals: toward a critical pedagogy of learning. Granby, Mass, Bergin & Garvey. Giroux, H. A. (2012). The War against Teachers as Public Intellectuals in Dark Times. Available from: Mccormick, S. (2011). Letters to power: public advocacy without public intellectuals. University Park, Pa, Pennsylvania State University Press. Michael, J. (2000). Anxious intellects: academic professionals, public intellectuals, and enlightenment values. Durham, Duke University Press. Posner, R. A. (2003). Public intellectuals a study of decline; with a new preface and epilogue. Cambridge, Mass, Harvard University Press. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10400491. Read More