Humility – a necessary attitude for teaching
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At a conference several years ago, I was presenting the finding of my Masters’ thesis. I described the modelling of humanistic attitudes of nurse educators to student nurses and Carl Rogers’ conditions of congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy as being essential to a safe learning environment.
I was asked at the end of the presentation, “What is the most important attitude of a teacher?” Although this was a reasonable question, in the context of my presentation, it was a question I did not expect.
The answer the audience was expecting was congruence: the realness or genuineness of the teacher, but I spontaneously responded by saying, “humility.”
There was a general murmur in the audience, the type of sound that indicated I should explain. So I elaborated that for the teachers to embrace the conditions described by Rogers, they needed to be humble.
In this sense, humility does not refer to low self-image, but rather to the acceptance of others (students) as equals. When teachers let go of their sense of superiority, it allows students to feel safe and respected in the way Rogers advocates.
Many years have passed since that presentation. Now, as I continue to teach, I still believe that it was the right answer.
Many times as teachers, we refrain from giving answers, even though part of us thinks that it would be quicker and perhaps even welcomed by students. But to enable students to grow, they need to discover their own solutions.
On the other hand, there are times when teachers do not have the answer and have to admit it, as we do to our mistakes.
On other occasions, teachers stand away from the limelight so that the students can shine, and shine they do. All teaching activities, including the stories we tell, are not for us as teachers but for the students.
Teaching is not about us; it is about the students.
“The more powerful the teacher, the greater the need for humility.”
From The Tao of Learning by Pamela K. Metz