Running head: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Leading Others from Darkness into the Light of Knowledge and Understanding
David L. Lord
Liberty University

EDUC604
Dr. James Fyock
August 16, 2013

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Abstract

A good teacher uses all the resources available to them to present their material in an
interesting and engaging way to challenge their students to achieve a proficiency in the material.
By using evidence based research, teaching techniques can be learned and refined to increase
effectiveness. This should be guided by ethical principles and the teachers philosophy of
education and their philosophy of life.

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Leading Others from Darkness into the Light of Knowledge and Understanding
Introduction
Education is the cornerstone of a foundation towards building a meaningful life. Through
education, a person can advance themselves socially and economically. Teachers play a
significant role in this process as they are the ones who convey the information that the student
needs to achieve their personal goals. By forming a partnership with the student and others who
are shareholders in the students academic pursuits, an environment that can serve to ensure the
students success can be formed.
Worldview & Philosophy of Life
This world is full of evil. While there are good people here, we are still surrounded by
those that would do us harm or attempt to stop us from accomplishing our goals or being
successful in our endeavors.
Evil is the absence of God and there is an abundance of evil. This world, and everything
in it, is condemned due to what some call the original sin or the great fall of man. It is through
Jesus that we have salvation.
In the past, I have shared that belief only to have others say that I am wrong. If that were
true, then certainly Jesus would have claimed this world as part of His kingdom. Instead, while
in front of Pilate, we are told Jesus answer to him when questioned. John 18: 35-36 says,
Pilate replied, I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you
over to me. What have you done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not from this world. If my
kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed
over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.

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His kingdom is not from here. His kingdom is not from this world. Twice we are told in
the same verse that this is not His kingdom. This is not to say that we should not try to live the
type of life that God would have us to live. We are here to please and to worship God and to
help and love one another. To further the claim that this is not part of the Kingdom, Romans
12:2 states, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and
perfect.
Why should we not conform to this world if it is part of the Kingdom of God? It is the
fact that we are instructed not to conform to this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of
our minds that shows this is not the Kingdom and that it is an evil place.
All of this is not to say that all hope is lost. I am an optimist. This life is nothing more
than a passing through which we learn from our actions and through the grace of God that which
we most need to know to prepare us for what is yet to come. It is where we learn to serve God
and to be of service to each other.
I believe that a person can live a good life and enjoy every second of it. My life is
complete, even as it is a work in progress. I say that it is complete in that there is not much that I
would change and all the blessings that I have. I have a wonderful family, and a rewarding
career. I have been able to transition from one career field to another due to the fantastic
teachers that I have had and the quality education that I have received. It is now that I need to
start giving some of what I have received. That is why I aspire to be a teacher.
Philosophy of Schools and Learning
Thomas Jefferson believed that a republic required an educated citizenry. He also
believed that education should carry out a civic or political objective and that a democratic

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government should furnish an education to a person regardless of his socio-economic standing.

(Gutek, 1995)
While the teachers responsibility is the effective presentation of the material in the
classroom, it is the responsibility of the state to support education both financially and
organizationally. With this responsibility being neglected by the state, only those with financial
means would have the resources to afford an education.
Education is important for an individual to obtain their goals. Without educating himself,
Benjamin Franklin would not have been able to accomplish all that he did as a scientist, inventor,
publisher, or statesman. He understood the importance of education and never stopped trying to
learn more. (Gutek, 1995)
It is by continuing to educate ones self that the professional educator learns how best to
teach their students and new effective ways to present their material. The professional teachers
education should not stop with the obtainment of a degree, but continue on so that they may be
the most effective.
A large body of research shows that each student has their own preferences and styles of
learning. The major learning styles have been categorized and broadly defined as the auditory
learner (prefers hearing instruction and enjoying discussion), visual learner (prefers to watch
demonstration and reading information), and the kinesthetic learner (prefers doing activities and
participating in projects). Learning styles goes beyond the grouping of three major styles of
learning. It is the way the student starts to concentrate on, and remember difficult material.
(Parker & Parker, 2007)
While learning styles can be taken to great detail to include the type of environment the
class is held in, the noise level, light level, type of seating, and a range of other factors, most of

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that is outside of the control of the teacher. The way the material is presented, however, is not.
That is where I believe the teacher should concentrate their efforts as this is where the individual
teacher can have the greatest impact in the classroom.
Each student represents an individual who has different preferences and abilities.
Another challenge for an effective instructor is to be able to incorporate those differences so that
the material is relayed in an effective manner so that it is retained in a way that the student can
relate to and use to solve problems that are similar in nature accurately
Several studies have shown that students tend to receive information better when it is
delivered in their preferred learning style. Some research suggests that the if material is
consistently not presented in a way that the student finds comfortable and stimulating, they may
withdraw, fall behind, get frustrated, and may end up acting out and becoming a discipline
problem due to that frustration and feeling of failure. That is not to suggest that there isnt
research to the contrary.
The adherence to using preferred learning styles in the presentation of material is not to
say that all material must be presented in each of the identified learning styles. That would prove
to be extremely cumbersome for the teacher. The acceptance of preferred learning styles would
have to conclude that they are a preference. The student may prefer one type of instruction over
another, but that is not to say that they cannot learn unless the material is presented in their
preferred learning style. (Glenn, 2009)
There are other factors that should be examined when presenting material in relation to
learning styles. The material to be covered may not lend itself to a given strategy due to the
content and/or subject to be covered. A writing course, for example, would most likely include a

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heavy verbal emphasis. Likewise, a class in geometry would require visual-spatial materials.
(Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer & Bjork, 2008)
Educational Practice
The most effective teachers ate those who used different methods and styles in presenting
material. Their presentation varies with the material and includes methods that appeal to one of
the types of learning styles, yet vary in which style is being addressed in the presentation of the
material. This keeps the class interesting and the learning environment fresh and exciting.
When the class instruction occurs in an environment that the student feels comfortable
and safe, and the student has the support of an established learning community, the student has
the best opportunity to learn and grow. To manage this type of environment and effectively
present the class material, the teacher should make use of all the technological advantages that
are open to them.
The use of technology makes presenting material in different formats and styles easier
than in the past. Using the technology available to the teacher is a great asset that should be
exploited to its full advantage. By using the available technology, individual learning styles can
be addressed effectively.
Technology makes the retrieval of information easier to retrieve and helps in showing
how new information relates to previously covered material. This better helps the students in
understanding that which they are being taught. It gives the added advantage of making the
review of material able to be done in a different learning style than it was originally presented to
further enhance the learning experience of the student. (Slavin, 2012)
The use of the available technology should be part of any teachers plans. It will not only
aid in the presentation of material, but in cataloging and revising lesson plans (making necessary

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changes to correct deficiencies that are identified). The administrative tasks that a teacher is
responsible for can be streamlined and each student can be more effectively tracked and student
understanding of the material can be identified more readily. (Slavin, 2012)
In preparing material for presentation to the class, a teacher should follow a model to aid
in that preparation. One effective model which addresses the variables that are directly
controlled by the teacher is the QAIT model of Robert Slavin. This model is a revision of other
models and, according to Slavin, possesses elements which all must be present if learning is to be
effective in the classroom. (Slavin, 2012)
The QAIT model forms an acronym which stands for:

Quality of instruction: The degree to which skills and/or information are

presented so that the student can learn them easily.
Appropriate levels of instruction: Making sure that the students are ready to learn
the information being presented, but have not already learned that information.
Incentive: Ensuring that the students are motivated to work on the assigned tasks
and learn the material that is to be presented.
Time: The students are given enough time to learn the lesson being taught.
(Slavin, 2012)

Teacher-Learner Relationships
In addition to being effective in preparing and presenting the material to be learned, an
effective teacher actively builds a relationship with their students. They command respect by
giving respect and demanding it in return. This demand should not made in a way that is
autocratic or despot like, but in a way that is understood and reinforces that if the student wants
respect, they have to give respect.
One way for a teacher to foster a good relationship with their students is by building a
team approach in regards to the student. This helps in building a learning community to help
support the student and their learning endeavors.

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The learning community includes all those diverse individuals working together for the
education of the students. This community would include the faculty and parents of the students
also. Everyone associated or with a vested interest in the success of the student in their academic
endeavors coming together for the common purpose of helping the student succeed. (Van
Brummelen, 2009)
Through teaching conflict resolution skills and helping those students who need help
(either educationally or personally), celebrating reaching a goal or obtaining a level of
understanding of the material being presented, the personality of each student is given the best
chance to form and grow so that they are a positive influence in our society. (Van Brummelen,
2009)
Piaget recognized the importance of peer interaction as one of the major forces of
emotional and intellectual development and that it was valuable for several reasons. The student
attaches a special significance to things that are seen as important to their peers is the first
reason. The second is that peers can be used as models and/or teachers for that which is to be
learned. Thirdly, the explanations of their peers may be easier for the student to understand than
the explanation of the teacher due to the similar cognitive level of the peer. Finally, a student
who is not as proficient as his peers may better understand their mistakes and correct them
through discussion with their peers of a more advanced cognitive stage. (Webb, 1980)
It would follow that the use of peer pressure should be a part of the conflict resolution
model. As research has shown with special needs students, the use of peer-mediated instruction
is useful in integration of students into a general classroom environment. Peer-mediated
instruction can refer to peer tutoring for helping those with problems understanding class
material as well as peer-confederates to help manage behavior problems or to teach social skills

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to another classmate. (Hallahan, Kauffman & Pullen, 2012) These are strategies that should be
used in every classroom as it uses peer pressure to bring about the desired result.
With the reduction in conflict and behavior problems in the classroom, a better
learning environment can be created. Through the use of the peer-mediation tactics, respect for
others can be initiated in the classroom and reinforced. This will aid the student in feeling secure
and bring about a feeling of belonging and lead to a positive learning experience.
Combine this security and positive atmosphere with a challenging curriculum that is
meaningful to the student and focused on their learning, more students will be successful in their
academic pursuits and become both emotionally healthy and socially secure in their studies and
in their lives. This is possible even with a student population that is widely diverse.
Diversity
Too often the definition of diversity is accepted as meaning embracing people from
different ethnic or cultural backgrounds. This definition places diversity as an acknowledgement
of differences relating to groups. I reject this definition outright due to the lack of respect and
acknowledgement of the individual.
A better definition for diversity is that used by the NDT Resource Center on their web
site. It states: Having a diverse group of students simply means recognizing that all the people
are unique in their own way. Their differences could consist of their reading level, athletic
ability, cultural background, personality, religious beliefs, and the list goes on. ("Appreciating
and valuing diversity")
This takes away the definition of diversity that separates us into groups that serves to
divide us. Instead, it shows differences that bring us together in a respective environment that
acknowledges the differences that each of us possess and destroys any notions that differences

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entitle someone to preferential treatment or special privileges based on those differences. With
this definition, there are no majority or minority groups.
If this were to be the prevailing definition used in a classroom atmosphere, and this was
explained as being the definition being used there, inclusion and respect would be more likely to
be shared among individuals than if the students were separated by divisive groups.
Individual diversity should be celebrated. By acknowledging what makes every person a
unique individual, we are allowed to explore what we have in common. By finding our
commonalities, we build a feeling of community. That feeling of community is where we can
grow both personally as well as academically
Conclusion
A teacher has a great amount of responsibility. That responsibility goes beyond the
student and encompasses society as a whole. They are responsible for shaping and ensuring that
their students will become an asset and possess the knowledge to contribute to society. It is
through the teachers efforts at effective presentation of the information they are presenting, and
the creation of the proper environment to enable the student to effectively receive and retain that
information, that their responsibilities can be achieved. This will give the student a brighter
future by giving them the information and skills to achieve their personal goals.
It is no coincidence that the American philosopher, Allan Bloom, said, Education is the
movement from darkness to light. That is what teachers are doing, leading others from the
darkness into the light of knowledge and understanding.

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References

NDT Education Resource Center. Appreciating and valuing diversity (General Classroom Tips).
Retrieved August 2, 2013, from The Collaboration for NDT Education, Iowa State
University: http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/Diversity.htm
Glenn, D. (2009, December 15). Matching teaching style to learning style may not help students.
The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved February 9, 2013, from
http://chronicle.com/article/Matching-Teaching-Style-to-/49497/
Gutek, G. (1995). A history of the western educational experience. Long Grove, Illinois:
Waveland Press, Inc.
Hallahan, D., Kauffman, J., & Pullen, P. (2012). Exceptional learners: An introduction to
special education. United States: Pearson Education, Inc.
Parker, L., & Parker, K. (2007). Learning with styles and skill: A description of a selfcalculating computerized learning styles profile and study skills inventory and its use for
diagnosing and prescribing learning, Liberty University.
Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008, December 1). Learning styles:
Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105-119.
Slavin, R. (2012). Educational psychology: Theory and practice. Boston, MA: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Van Brummelen, H. (2009). Walking with God in the classroom: Christian approaches to
teaching and learning. Colorado: Purposeful Design Publications.
Webb, P. (1980, Spring). Piaget: Implications for teaching. Theory Into Practice, 19(2), 93-97.