Reflection upon the Moments of Learning

Running head: REFLECTION UPON THE MOMENTS OF LEARNING 1
Reflection upon the Moments of Learning
Name
Institution

REFLECTION UPON THE MOMENTS OF LEARNING 2
Reflection upon the Moments of Learning
The study module was effective in changing the perspectives I held in previous occasions
concerning schooling and education. In my upbringing, I have always upheld the ideology that
basic education should be of critical essence in spearheading an individual’s educational
advancement. However, the course of great significance in enlightening me on the role played by
motivation in the attainment of certain set educational goals. The module helped me realize that
as a future educator, I must comprehend the fact that students I will face are innately motivated,
willing to take risks and daring. This aspect stirs them towards creating new opportunities. In my
understanding, the kinds of choices made by students while pursuing their educational goals acts
determine future they will live. This notion is reinforced by O’Toole (2009) when he explains
that learning is founded on creativity and proceeds by foreseeing the needs presented by the
society then availing imaginative, flexible and innovative responses. In my opinion, active
scholars need not to be driven by the kind of skills and knowledge offered by their institutions
but by the innate need to provide solutions to the societal needs that require immediate attention.
Consequently, the module was highly effective in changing the conventional viewpoints I
previously held.
Before learning the module, I was looking forward towards becoming an educator that
will mold great professionals. However, the course challenged me on my viewpoints concerning
what the current school curriculum need to avail among its consumers. The area of study called
for teachers to concentrate on pedagogical techniques that are aimed at bringing forth a
population of scholars that will provide the desired solutions to the problems existing in the
society, creating employment rather than playing the role of job seekers, and becoming the
change needed by the community rather than people who expect change. The unit described

REFLECTION UPON THE MOMENTS OF LEARNING 3
transformative learning as “the process by which we take our taken for granted frames of
reference (perspectives, habits of mind, mind sets) to make them more inclusive, discriminating,
open, emotionally capable of change and reflective so that they may generate beliefs and
opinions that will prove more true or justified to guide action” Merizow (2003). Based on his
description, I learned that as a future teacher, I must inculcate effective ways of challenging the
traditionally held beliefs that look at the schooling system as a factory that manufactures job
seekers by adopting the modest transformative point of view that looks as learners as potential
employers. While the task placed on my shoulders is enormous, I will apply the concepts of
Arnold (2005) that put particular emphasis on the advancement of intellectual empathy as one of
the most essential values of a transformative educator.
The description of who a real teacher needs to be based on the postulates of Grauer
(2013) was of great essence in stirring the belief that the educator as an individual is highly
inseparable from the profession. Most specifically, the readings in this session made me uphold
the conventional belief that “once a teacher, always a teacher”. The module made me realize the
importance of the relationships established by teachers beyond their environments of work in
fostering an ample environment of learning. The syllabus was highly influential in enlightening
me on the significance of establishing and maintaining healthy working relationships between
me as a future educationist and my students. Based on the contents of the course, the nature of
relationship created between the teacher and students acts as a useful determinant of the
effectiveness of the instructional material in attaining the desired pedagogical aims. In particular,
the instructor insisted on breaking the barriers to learning that exist between the educator and
scholars through creation of positive relations. As educators, the strength of the ties established
with the learners can be measured by the transformative results depicted by the students. As a