The Real: Identity and the Educator

An educator finds fulfillment in believing that he or she will make an impact on the students they teach. Without this feeling of fulfillment an educator would find very little gratification in their labor. Bracher states, “All of us who teach have such a desire for immediate recognition and affirmation from our students, and this desire can produce many pedagogical practices and reactions that undermine our efforts to facilitate student learning and development (RadicalPedagogy).” Bracher feels that desire for personal recognition, often gets in the way of what is truly important; the identity of the student.

Bracher believes, “…our most profound identity support comes in the form of recognition from the real: evidence that we have made a significant contribution to the lives of others" (Radical Pedagogy). To be “real”, is to recognize what is truly important. Bracher insinuates that an educator’s unseen motive is to validate their own identity and believes that, “Our own identity needs, whether in collusion with students’ identity needs or in conflict with them, are thus significant factors in pedagogical failures and, through such failures, in social problems” (Radical Pedagogy).  

In accordance with Bracher’s statements, I believe that the majority of educators have a true concern for the advancement of their pupils and genuinely intend to have a positive impact on the students they teach. I believe that most teachers enter into the profession with the belief that they will be helping or improving other people in one way or another. Although at times I am sure educators can create learning environments that may not be inclusive to all learners, I believe that an educator should be proud of their overall academic and social contributions.  

Initially, I was opposed to Bracher’s assumptions that our own need for recognition can actually undermine our intended goal to make a difference in the lives of our students. For me teaching has never been about being “smart” or “brilliant” as Tompkins felt. These are not qualities that have ever been part of my self-concept, nor have they been labels I have sought to achieve. They are not assets that I feel can validate my teaching ability. Maybe this is because I knew that these were labels that would never be used to refer to me. My aspirations have always been to guide students on the right path. In hopes that some of these students will become, “brilliant”, however, more so to become confident, insightful, good citizens who follow their own aspirations and passions in life.

In time I realized that my opposition to Bracher’s statements could be seen as an act of self-defense for my own identity needs, in considering myself as an effective teacher. If we are to consider Bracher’s assumptions as valid, than we as teachers need to spend much time reflecting on our motives and our teaching processes, in order to recognize when our actions are counterproductive. In Bracher’s terms we must come to a “Rectification with the Real”. “Rectification with the Real, as Bracher implies, is to recognize that one’s own actions has unconsciously produced an unintended result (Radical  Pedagogy).”

 On “The Real”; as a teacher, I feel that educators should be continually changing pedagogies to better support the needs of students. If met with obstacles that impede the advancement of learners, than we should alter teaching strategies and pedagogies to suit student’s needs. In turn, rectifying our ineffective attempts at transmitting intended information and modifying methods in order to assume a successful outcome. This is an ever-changing cycle that should be on-going throughout our teaching careers. In altering our teaching philosophies to better suit the needs of our students; we will find a more holistic form of success within all areas of teaching outcomes.  Bracher implies that educators must rid themselves of pride and understand that, “…some of our pedagogical practices are unproductive or counterproductive …” Understanding pedagogical shortfalls as an educator, Bracher suggests, will modify teaching practices and motivate educators to alter their thoughts and ideas for the betterment of their students (Radical Pedagogy).