Becoming an Authentic Teacher in Higher Education (Professional Practices in Adult Education and Human Resource Development Series)

Teachers must construct a personal ideal--the good teacher--based on who they are as people. Teacher development is presented here as a process of coming to know our Self, recognizing the archetype of the Good Teacher, and seeing how this archetype can lead us to feel we are the Bad Teacher. Coming to see the teacher that is a part of the Self and to find congruence between the authentic self and the teacher within the self is at the core of our personal and professional empowerment as educators. The process is illustrated with case studies of authentic teachers. Teaching is discussed in context, within our discipline, institution, community, and culture. The unique contribution of this book is to focus on the teacher as a person, encouraging teachers to understand their own preferences, values, and experiences and use them positively. The book concludes with a chapter on the transforming teacher, an exploration of how personal and professional growth intersect in working toward the ultimate goal of developing the Teacher as Self.