TEACHING: THE MERGING OF TWO POLES

Is Teaching an Art or a Science?

    
     Teaching can be considered as a combination of both art and science. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, art is a skill required by experience or study and an occupation requiring knowledge or skill. Science is defined as the systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation (Collins English Dictionary). Taking these definitions into account, both art and science can be interrelated in the field of teaching. Hence, educators draw on their skills, so as to put into practice their knowledge about the subject matter, theories, and methodologies that best fit the needs of the students.

    An important goal for most teachers is to bring about an effective student learning. Through observation teachers can realize about the problematic situations that come about in the classes, and then they draw upon the experimentation in order to change the variables that need some treatment such as misbehavior, lack of interest, cognitive difficulties, and the like. So, in this way teaching can be understood as science; nevertheless, educators also need to resort to their creativity and imagination for the purpose of complementing the teaching-learning process. For instance, in the case of foreign language teachers, they are required to make use of the appropriate techniques and skills for bringing about the interest of the students, as well as helping them develop their communicative and cognitive abilities. Additionally, teachers resort to their creativity and intuition in order to solve those unexpected situations that can come up in the course of a class. In this case teachers need to improvise and deal with those particular situations that were not taken into account in their plans. The art of teaching involves not only knowing what to do and how to do it, but also knowing when to do it, and in what situations not to do it (Magestro, 1994). It is this kind of thinking process that takes teaching from a scientific base to an art form (Magestro, 1994).

      To conclude, teaching can be seen both as an art and as a science, moreover both imply discipline and enthusiasm in order to get better outcomes. First, reflection must be undertaken in the teaching-learning process in order to identify the behavior or the conditions that require some changes. Second, teachers should keep their “spark” and improve their skills for being able to shape their “work of art” by using the tools and the methods required. As a result of this process, they can appreciate their masterpiece: the learning of the students.

 

References 

·       Magestro, P. (1994). Tribute to Madeline Hunter. Educational Leadership, 51(7) 83

·             http://www.merriam-webster.com/
·             www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/w
·            http://eportfolio.uophx.edu/eportfolios/MAED/TED/rubric.html