Educationists instead of Teachers!

What is the philosophical context/argument being explored?

The authors, Christou and Bullock, explore the idea of philosophical mindedness and the argument that teachers ought to aspire to shift their practices to become “educationists”. The idea that we ought to question educational experiences through the lens of philosophy to ignite ideas.

To that last thought, I would suggest that innovation may be present when we can ignite new ideas using philosophical mindedness. This could be viewed as innovation or creating the conditions that may be necessary to seek innovation.

Creativity- The connection that I found here was the use of dispositions and outlooks rather than skills or content. Exercising the “habits of mind” and human life as opposed to recitation of rote facts or skillsets. (araticle pg 3). This is where we are most likely to cultivate creativity. Looking differently at disciplines to see how they might impact our actions, worldviews, and who we are as humans.

Teaching and learning are addressed in this article in a way that it suggests that theory and practice ought to be interwoven. The appeal here is to get the educationists to “collaboratively debate, explore, scrutinize, and enact a just and correct education.” (Christou, T. , Bullock, S. (2012) pg. 3). The authors encourage the teacher to base their practice of teaching as a “way of being” through the use of philosophical mindedness.

How do the ideas/arguments relate to the working definitions you have developed in the Glossary?

“Innovation will require us to ignite a more interdisciplinary mindset, to borrow the best ideas from multiple disciplines, to design and build solutions to our wicked problems.” (My Post)

Philosophical mindedness will be a tool to use in the development of this interdisciplinary mindset!

Creativity “harnessing of ideas that have come before us in other peoples’ experiences and translations. …challenging the status quo to push ideas beyond our comfort zones.” (My Post)

Practicing with the educationist mindset may direct us out of the comfort zone and into the cognitive dissonance that oftentimes precedes moments of creativity and innovation.

Teaching and learning discussed above

What questions do you have of the author(s) after having read the article?

How do we get colleagues that love knowing into a space where they accept that cognitive dissonance is part of the practice of philosophical mindedness?

How can you shift towards philosophical mindedness?To what extent is it easier to be an educationist practicing philosophical mindedness in the ill-structured disciplines

Christou, T. M., & Bullock, S. M. (2012). The case for philosophical mindedness. Paideusis, 20(1), 14–23.