Before moving to the development of my theoretical and philosophical ideas that shape my teaching, it is worth placing a brief introduction of who am I as a teacher in order, then, to reflect the ‘why’ and ‘how’ my identity, philosophies, beliefs and values contributed to that.
I had been working in a Foundation called ‘Agia Anna’ (Saint Anna) as a teacher of primary as well as secondary school children of female sex; 21 in number. This organization is highly linked with Christianity and the Church. Norms, values and customs of the Foundation are built on the grounds of Christianity and Church. This self- funded organization has children from 0 up to 21 years old that have been taken away from their families under Court’s decision. The leadership structure there is quite clear. There is the leader - an 80-year-old woman who leads the Foundation and is called ‘the Mother’ as well as two secretaries, one teacher, one psychologist and the serving and cleaning team. The structure of the organization is rather matriarchic as the leading figure is the ‘Mother’. Her characterization by everyone within the Foundation as the Mother derives from her devotion, in all her life, in the well functioning of the organization and the well being of the children within it. It is essential to note also that the organization described above is not- for- profit organization and is mission is driven by philanthropic theme.
Since the context and the behaviors that I am working with in the Foundation are outcomes of tough childhood years, it is more important to teach values and ethos through my courses. My point is that education comes from within the student. Before studying literature, math and history, students should learn central values that will dominate their ethos throughout their lives. Under the context that I am teaching the primary aim is to recover the past traumatic experiences of the students, through ethos, and the secondary is to teach them, for example, certain facts and dates in history.
I had been working in a Foundation called ‘Agia Anna’ (Saint Anna) as a teacher of primary as well as secondary school children of female sex; 21 in number. This organization is highly linked with Christianity and the Church. Norms, values and customs of the Foundation are built on the grounds of Christianity and Church. This self- funded organization has children from 0 up to 21 years old that have been taken away from their families under Court’s decision. The leadership structure there is quite clear. There is the leader - an 80-year-old woman who leads the Foundation and is called ‘the Mother’ as well as two secretaries, one teacher, one psychologist and the serving and cleaning team. The structure of the organization is rather matriarchic as the leading figure is the ‘Mother’. Her characterization by everyone within the Foundation as the Mother derives from her devotion, in all her life, in the well functioning of the organization and the well being of the children within it. It is essential to note also that the organization described above is not- for- profit organization and is mission is driven by philanthropic theme.
Since the context and the behaviors that I am working with in the Foundation are outcomes of tough childhood years, it is more important to teach values and ethos through my courses. My point is that education comes from within the student. Before studying literature, math and history, students should learn central values that will dominate their ethos throughout their lives. Under the context that I am teaching the primary aim is to recover the past traumatic experiences of the students, through ethos, and the secondary is to teach them, for example, certain facts and dates in history.