Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
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Ideals that don't work in our society.
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Author:  Danny Jugan [ Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:48 am ]
Post subject:  Ideals that don't work in our society.
After reading some of the articles for this week and last, something occured to me. More and more, educators are encouraged to teach their students to be leaders and to think for themselves. What I find off is the fact that our society isn't really set up that way. Our society is built around having a lot of followers and very few leaders. Now I agree with teaching students to be leaders and to think for themselves, but I'm just curious to think what you all think about this situation.
Author:  Rodney Woods [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:52 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
More and more, educators are encouraged to teach their students to be leaders and to think for themselves.


I feel that it's not so much that we should be teaching kids to be leaders, but to be intelligent followers. Following a leader doesn't mean you stop thinking for yourself. Students should be able to tell when to stop being a follower and when the time comes they should be equipped to lead themselves.
Author:  Kelly Allen [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
Great points Danny & Rodney! You're both hit the target in my opinion. I think that we have to do the best we can to promote kids to embrace their individuality as one person in a big world. There is nothing wrong with creating leaders because I believe that everyone is a leader in some form or another. In the context of our society in general, I think that promoting students to be "intelligent followers" is a great way to put it.
Author:  Maggie Chambers [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:03 am ]
Post subject: 
I completely agree. Being a follower is not always a bad thing; if there were no followers, our society would have no structure. However, there is a difference between informed obedience and blind obedience. It is imperative to teach students how to recognize times when it is creatively, cognitively, or morally appropriate to question authority and obedience.

At Mai Lai, what was different about the people who participated in the massacre and those who refused participation or even undermined it? How do we teach selective nonconformity?
Author:  Danny Jugan [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:12 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
I feel that it's not so much that we should be teaching kids to be leaders, but to be intelligent followers. Following a leader doesn't mean you stop thinking for yourself. Students should be able to tell when to stop being a follower and when the time comes they should be equipped to lead themselves.


Very well put.
Author:  Danny Jugan [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:18 am ]
Post subject: 
Maggie Chambers wrote:
At Mai Lai, what was different about the people who participated in the massacre and those who refused participation or even undermined it? How do we teach selective nonconformity?


There are very few courses, if any at all, that would cover that issue specifically from the course guide. Because of that, I think it is the job of the teacher to pose similar situations and have the students respond. I don't think he or she should say what is the correct or incorrect auction in a given situation, but I think students should be aware that there are times you should follow and times when you should not.
Author:  Brianne Henderson [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
:D
Rodney, WOW intelligent followers, very well put :!: I agree with this statement, I think that a quality as a leader is to make good decisions and with that a leader is intelligent enough to know when to follow and when not to. Children are extremely intelligent and know what is right and wrong and Kelly you are right to say that each child is a leader one way or another. Although after todays discussion in class I am sure that there are several students singled out as leaders because of class where the other students of a lower class are assumed that there voice will never be loud enough and heard! I think what this society has forgot about is how to teach teachers to be leaders and intelligent followers! But how many teachers follow the wrong and never take a stand for what they know is morally true? If the teacher is not a leader or an Intelligent follower, they can not teach their students hw to be one!
Author:  Danny Jugan [ Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:26 am ]
Post subject: 
It is the follower that makes the leader such. The wealthy often emerge as leaders because those in lower classes choose, solely on class, to be followers. Naturally, there are exceptions, but in the case of teachers in the classroom, I think there are times when they should be leaders, and times when they should be intellegent followers.

Also, I think it is extremely important for followers to understand how to lead. I know it may seem like a paradox, but leaders often base their direction off of the reaction of those that follow them. So in essence, followers guide the decisions of those that lead them. Because of this, teachers should know when to follow (guide) and when to lead.
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