AQPC

Author : Éric CHASSÉ, educational advisor - Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe

From a humanist perspective, the author shares his reflection on the mission of teachers and other personnel in the educational field: to contribute to the development of human beings who are socially committed, critical minded, curious, open-minded and happy. How can we explain why it is so hard to maintain this ideal collectively? Using the writings of a number of thinkers to answer these questions, the author describes a certain collective uneasiness associated with renewal in college teaching and raises the question of educational objectives which could possibly be given more importance. As essential references, these must be well explained and incorporated into the educational equation because they give meaning to learning: students are more committed when they feel their teachers (and their program) incorporate educational values that reflect some of their own preoccupations. In this way, teachers do more than develop competencies, they are also cultural mediators whose mandate is to help students become committed, critical minded and open to the world through culture and the human heritage. For teachers, college management and professionals, the author proposes several intervention paths that could help further the development of accomplished, socially committed citizens.

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