According to my results from the Teaching Perspectives Inventory, the dominant perspective in my teaching philosophy emphasizes apprenticeship:
Effective teaching is a process of socializing students into new behavioral norms and ways of working.
Good teachers are highly skilled practitioners of what they teach. Whether in classrooms or at work sites, they are recognized for their expertise. Teachers must reveal the inner workings of skilled performance and must translate it into accessible language and an ordered set of tasks which usually proceed from simple to complex, allowing for different points of entry depending upon the learner’s capability. Good teachers know what their learners can do on their own and where they need guidance and direction; they engage learners within their ‘zone of development’. As learners mature and become more competent, the teacher’s role changes; they offer less direction and give more responsibility as students progress from dependent learners to independent workers. (from Pratt, Collins, and Selinger 2001)
What this means for me is that anthropological ideas are like a language that can give you a new perspective on both your own and other’s cultures. Before people become fluent in another language, they must first translate words from one language to another – anthropological jargon first needs to be translated into colloquial English. I see my role as a teacher in first guiding you through the translation until you can think more independently in the language of anthropology.
Practically speaking, as you read through particular concepts, try translating them into your own words and bring that translation to class – see how it differs (or is similar) from the way that I use the concept, and think about those similarities and differences. Over time, you will become fluent in anthropology!