“Liberation is the purpose of Education”. “Education brings conformity or freedom”. The learner chooses.
I was envious about Rex, a young lecturer in our school. Everyone likes Rex, especially the students. I overheard a particular mentoring session in the clinic Rex had with Jean. “I don’t forget students or the work I assign to them. Please remember that. Jean! I had wanted you to come up to me on the explanation on the patient’s occlusion.” Jean was silent the whole time. Rex continued, “Do you need more time, or you don’t want to do this task. I am not asking this for myself, understand.” Jean nodded in affirmation. I walked to Jean after some time. I told her that I was watching the interaction with Rex. Jean confided, “Yeah, I was wrong. Dr Rex asked me to refer an aspect of occlusion. I totally forgot. I am surprised that he remembered, and he cares so much for the students. I feel ashamed.”
I didn’t understand why Jean interpreted this interaction this way. I also had likewise interpreted similar interactions I have had as a student. Now I feel that this is not the right way to correct a student. Also, the ‘correction’ itself is flawed. In the contract I have with a learner in my capacity as a teacher, I am no bigger or smaller than the student. We are equals. I can identify areas of improvement, provide feedback, stop a student in patient’s safety interests. I don’t think I hold the right to humiliate, condescend, be indifferent, ignore, correct etc.
The curriculum is transparent and explicit. It outlines what, when and how a student learns. The hidden curriculum is created by the behaviors, perspectives, and attitudes of the various stakeholders who participate directly or indirectly in the delivery of the curriculum. The learners are the most influenced and affected by the hidden curriculum. I find that students are the greatest proponents and opponents of the hidden curriculum. Many conform to the practice and standards while few have the awareness and courage to challenge.
Shaun had asked me once, “I understand that Dr Sweta had a very rigorous training in her school. But why bring the same stress and rigour here. Can’t we achieve similar levels with less stress and more engagement?” Why don’t you ask Dr Sweta, I blurted before realising that I was not being kind or helpful.
How do you perceive the hidden curriculum in your school? Supportive, oppressive, or indifferent? Your response will give me a clue.
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I echo with you. The attitude of the teachers play a significant role in student’s learning process. Some of the faculty members had been adopting harsh and stressful style of teaching which do no benefits but harm the students.
Every undergraduate student in dental school has no or very little experience in treatment planning and execution to begin with. Think about it, fine motor dexterity surely takes time to develop and there is a bunch of valid reasons of how a student can do wrong during treatment. And to be a good dental lecturer, one essential component is to be patient and accept the facts that every student make mistake.
Unfortunately, the faculty is made up of highly qualified, skilled and recognized members of different specialty. They might be top students in their past dental schools and now a specialist who are too impatient in seeing mistakes of an undergraduate students.
I have come to know a faculty coercing student to discharge patient at 10.45 AM. Her reason was the student cannot finish the procedure of shaping and cleaning before 12.00PM (the time which we need to start discharging the patient). This news spread among the students including me. The student could have just shape and clean the canal 50% and then discharge, rather than doing the entire procedure in the next appointment. There is no guideline or consensus that doing the procedure halfway would compromise treatment outcome.
At least I did that once due to the canal being 28 mm ( a long canine) and I was first time doing RCT. I used 2 appointments for shaping and cleaning. Why forcing the student to discharge at 10.45AM? She discharged the patient and in the next appointment, what if she cannot finish shaping and cleaning? Another added appointment needed…..
I am indeed disgusted by this kind of attitude that the faculty has. A good teacher should always put themselves in the shoe of patient and student. Young learners may be slow and make mistakes that seem irredeemable foolishness to the specialist. Students know the lecturers are specialist, but if they don’t like to waste their time or if they don’t like to see our foolish mistakes, they are most welcomed to leave the teaching job and work as full time private dentist.
I have a lot to complaint when it comes to teaching attitude. And teaching does not occur only between lecturers and students. It should occur between students as well. Yet, they are students that display condescending attitude /humiliate the others’ performance.
Thanks for your comment. Reading this helps me become a better teacher.