I'm a relativist.
Which habits of thinking, mind, intellect, and character do you possess that make you an example or role model for today’s youth?
I’m a self-proclaimed relativist. Not absolutely (which is appropriate, I think), but there are not many things that I think are true per se. Because of this way of thinking, I am not going to be quick to tell students that they’re wrong. As long as a student can sufficiently justify a statement, I believe it is not a teacher’s place to say that their thinking is wrong or inadequate.
That’s not to say there can’t be right and wrong answers on a test. However, often teachers are looking for specific answers during class discussion or on informal assignments. That’s very discouraging for students who have a different way of looking at things. I have a major fear of offering my opinion/answer in class and having the teacher brush me off in favor of the student who knew exactly what the teacher was looking for. I would be must more likely to participate in class if a teacher would just say, “I never looked at it that way before, what makes you say that?” instead of, “Well, not quite. Anyone else?”
Since I look at things from a variety of perspectives, I will challenge my students to do the same. If they say something definite and absolute, I’ll question why things have to be that way instead of another. I think this encourages critical thinking and an expanded perspective. Without dismissing a student’s opinion or idea, I will ask them how they can incorporate other ideas into their worldview as well. Not only will this be important in understanding literature and the writing process, but it will also help students get along with folks outside of the classroom because it will teach acceptance of varying ideas.