M. Duričeková
The Work Principles of a Creative
Teacher
Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Psychologica 1, 13-17
F O LIA PSY C H O L O G IC A 1, 1997
M . D U R IC E K O V Ä
Silesian University, K arvinâ Slovakia
THE WORK PRINCIPLES OF A CREATIVE TEACHER
I
The teacher’s personality and, mainly, w ork can either support the developm ent o f a creative personality, or it m ay hinder the developm ent of pupils’ creativity. Luk (1981, p. 62) m aintains th at „ if the teacher is creative, gifted pupils achieve considerable success [...] I f his creative abilities lie a t the scale bottom , the success o f less talented pupils appears to be greater. In this case, extraordinarily talented pupils do n o t either m anifest or m ake the m ost o f their capabilities. The teacher seems to prefer the type o f pupils he belongs to!”
II
Each teacher develops his own working philosophy. G row ing experience, age, and especially knowledge, m ake the teacher fix or modify, creatively develop, or even completely change his philosophy. The philosophy inter weaves with the process o f education, which results in establishing certain principles utilised in teacher’s approach to pupils. The principles represent a basis assisting the teacher to solve everyday pedagogic situations. The principles are breached only exceptionally since they represent certain standards, rules and values o f the utm ost priority, and the teacher believes in their im portance.
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If, for example, the teacher in his philosophy considers the teacher-student relation to be built upon the principle o f superiority and subordination, then he adheres to principles developing, m aintaining and supporting the superiority, approach. Obviously, these features are typical o f an autocratic teacher.
Ill
W hat is characteristic o f a creative teacher? W h at is typical o f his work? W hat does such a teacher follow in his practice? A creative teacher does n o t behave as a form al authority with exclusive rights. He does n o t rely on non-alternative specification o f curriculum , ignoring specific in dividual features o f pupil’s personality. W ithin the educational process he does n o t insist on his decisions under all circumstances for fear o f losing his dom inant position. H e does n o t exert pressure on pupils by misusing the assessment o f their achievements for casting d o u b t upon their abilities. Such features characterize an insufficiently creative teacher. A creative teacher prefers other values th at enable the students to fully develop their faculties.
In the role o f a tutor he acts as a com petent authority who, based on his high professional level, offers his students advice, recom m endations, consultations and explanations. However, he does n o t force his opinion upon pupils; on the contrary, he takes into consideration individual abilities, needs and opinions o f pupils.
In the role of a motivating person he cares for pleasant climate; elimination o f pupils’ uneasiness and fear; interest in learning; appreciation o f perfor mances and effort; unbiassed assessment; encouragem ent in overcoming difficulties.
In the role o f an older and more experienced personality he represents a bearer o f hum ane relationships. H e acts as a person with rich life experience believing in pupil’s personality and ready to help in diffficult and dam anoling situations. The contem porary knolwedge in this field does n o t perm it us to give an exhaustive answer to the problem s o f philosophy, m ethods and principles o f w ork o f a creative teacher. It is an open issue with regard to b oth the generalization o f practical experience o f creative teachers and scientific research. Its exam ination is o f practical significance relative to the developm ent o f the creativity theory as well as the practical application to the teacher’s tasks.
IV
We are aim ed a t the establishing o f the principles o f creative teacher’s w ork, i.e. principles th at are preferred (or should be preferred) by a creative teacher. O ur considerations are based on the following psychological and social knowledge:
1. The relation o f cooperation between the teacher and the pupil. The relation should be a fundam ental prerequisite n o t only for an effective educational process, b u t also for a complete development of creative potential o f pupils. The creative teacher-pupil relation thus features the following peculiarities:
- it is the teacher who activates the relation,
- the relation is aimed a t the full developm ent o f pupil’s potential and personality,
- the relation is a one-way activity o f the teacher exerting an influence on pupils; ir is a m atter o f interaction.
2. The pupil should be conceived o f as a unique personality th at develops. Such an approach m akes it possible to reflect pupils’ autonom y, support their independence, self-educational tendencies and self-development, and to take into account individual differences.
3. F actors affecting pupils’ positive m otivation within the process o f learning. The latter is preconditioned by pupils’ internal m otivation. Hence, the emphasis is laid on their em otional com m itm ent to the process o f education, attractin g an d m aintaining pu pils’ atten tio n , interest, their activation directed tow ards educational tasks, and unbiassed assessment o f pupils.
V
W hat follows is a hypothetical system o f principles o f w ork o f a creative teacher, distinguishing the principles based on w hat the teacher, in his attitude to pupils,
- respects, - rejects, - supports, - requires,
and how he m otivates his pupils. The creative teacher respects:
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- talented pupils who, with regard to their knowledge, surpass other pupils and the teacher himself,
- different opinions which do n o t comply with his own views, - discussion ab ou t problem s,
- pupil’s right o f m istakes,
- variety o f pupils’ m otivation to learn,
- individual differences in m ental and physical abilities o f pupils. The creative teacher rejects:
- a power-based authority, - pupils’ blind obedience, - pupils’ lack o f independence, - order-based activity o f pupils, - complacency o f pupils and himself,
- opinion th at everything should be unam biguous and smooth, - atm osphere o f fear,
- pretentation o f his infallibility, - his right to have the last word. The creative teacher supports:
- developm ent o f pupils’ potential abilities and positive qualities, - pupils’ independent thought and activity,
- specific way o f learning, thought and conduct o f each pupil, - unconventional approach to problem s and tasks,
- incurring a risk in solving problem situations and tasks, - cooperation and team work,
- balance o f cooperation and com petition am ong pupils. The creative teacher requires:
- pupils com m itm ent to his development, - pupils’ conscious discipline,
- pupil’s personal opinion,
- pupil’s active understanding o f himself, o f other people, society and nature,
- pupil’s understanding the essence o f his activity,
- pupil’s variabile conduct under various conditions and situations, - pupils to analyze the reasons o f their mistakes, failure, and also success. The creative teacher m otivates pupils as follows:
- he appreciates pupil’s independence, creativity and ingenuity, - he assesses pupil’s w ork relative to his previous outcomes,
- when assessing pupil’s work he takes into consideration also the opinion o f his schoolmates,
- he does n o t assess pupil’s outcom es only, b u t also the way tow ards them,
- his relation to the pupil rests on pupil’s merits,
- he applies the principle o f an individual approach to pupils, - he creates situations enabling pupils to experience success,
- he does n o t m ock pupils who are eager to learn, and are inquisitive, - he appreciates inspiring ideas and pupil’s achievements,
- he supports pupils in their effort aimed a t proficiency.
The outlined system o f principles o f a creative teacher délimités the m ost im portant principles relative to the development o f cooperative relations and atmosphere stimulating pupils to activity for the sake o f their development and overcoming obstacles which hinder the creative thought and performance of pupils.
The principles are n o t conceived dogm atically as a static system, bu t rather as a system open to m odifications and corrections. W hen analyzing his work, or trying ro transform his principles along the lines o f creativity, the teacher needn’t comply with all the above given principles. However, w hat is crucial is to adhere to the philosophy and the rationale o f the principles.
REFERENCES
D u r i ć L. (1981), Psychologia skola VIII. Psychodiagnostické a didaktické testy, n. p. Bratislava D u r i c e к M . (1989), Tvorivost’ v sportovych hräch, Bratislava
D u r i c e k o v ä M. , G â b o r o v â L. (1991), Psychologické problemy sùcasnej skoly, Kosice H e l u s Z. (1981), Fojeti żaka a perspektivy osobnosti, Praha
L u к A. N. (1984), Psychologia tvorivosti, Bratislava
R h o d e s L. A. (1992), On the R oad to Quality, „E ducational L eadership” , 49, 6, 76-80.
M . Duricekovä
ZASADY PRACY TWÓRCZEGO NAUCZYCIELA
A utor artykułu uzasadnia, iż osobowość i styl pracy nauczyciela może oddziaływać sprzyjająco lub ham ująco n a rozwój twórczości ucznia. Nauczyciel dążąc do w spierania rozw oju ucznia wybitnie zdolnego, powienien posiadać w łasną, w ypracow aną filozofię. Filozofia ta w inna obejmować przede wszystkim założenia kształtow ania jego relacji z uczniem, a także określać role, jakie winien pełnić wobec ucznia. Przedstaw ione zostały rów nież liczne i konkretne zasady współpracy nauczyciela z uczniem wybitnie zdolnym.
