One of my grad school professors taught me to establish terminology at the beginning of anything. A presentation, a reading response, a seminar paper. Anything.
There can be different uses or meanings for a term depending on the context or the field/discipline in which it’s used, so we set up terminology and what we mean when we use a word from the start.
Why? To frame things the way we need and help guide audience expectations.
So, what in the cat hair do I mean when I say “ethos?”
Back in the dusty past of ancient Greece (early 4th century B.C.) , Aristotle used the term to talk about a speaker’s character or reputation and therefore their credibility.
In our 21st century context, we also use it to talk about someone’s authority to speak on a topic and be taken seriously.
Ok. Example time.
photo by Rich Polk-Getty images
My ethos when talking about working with writers, the purpose of grammar, responding to student writing, and classroom management? Pretty legit. I have the experience and bona fides to back that up.
But, my ethos on say. . .geophysics or paleontology? Yeah. Decidedly not legit. Mr. Hammer would 100% recommend I quit.
When we talk teacher ethos, however, we call upon a definition of ethos that can be a bit more nebulous.
This ethos is more about a multifaceted identity informed by who we are, what we know, what we believe, how we see the world and others, and the behaviors and practices that we enact because of all this.
Like I said. Kind of nebulous, right?
Back to concrete example time.
Let’s talk Things That Inform Mandi’s Teacher Ethos.
My teacher education program in undergrad had a few key tenets that informed everything we did.
Two of them are —
- An essential, ingrained belief that every student can learn.
- Students will meet the expectations you set for them, whether they be low or high. So, set them high, let them know you believe them capable of reaching them, and then work to help them do that.
These are an essential part of who I am and how I work as an educator. They mean I see each student as fully capable of doing the work, developing the skills, and reaching the objectives I set in my curriculum. Some may need more support and scaffolding than others, sure. But, that’s part of my job. Meeting them where they are to help them step up toward where I want them to be.
I specifically discuss with students that learning is a process of challenging and stretching and growing ourselves but that –
1) I know they’re capable and
2) I will work alongside them to help them reach the expectations I’ve set for us in a given term.
Take a look at that last sentence, again.
I mention “work[ing] alongside” my students. I use and enact that language purposefully in the classroom since I see myself as a subject matter expert, guide, and coach. I’m not a talking-head-fount-of-all-knowledge, speaking from the front of the classroom in order to fill up the empty vessels who are my students.
Since I want my students to see me as support and guide (and seek me out as such), this necessarily influences how I present myself in the classroom and the type of classroom atmosphere I actively cultivate.
I’m approachable, warm but firm, and funny. I’m not hard-nosed but flexible within set boundaries that exist for specific reasons. I get that life is hard and can epically suck sometimes, so I choose compassion and empathy when working with students.
I share how I’ve struggled with coursework, writing, revision, or balancing life/school/motherhood over the years and the habits or approaches that I’ve found helpful. I’m experienced, well-educated, and good at what I do while still being human.
While I obviously care about my students’ learning and growth, I care about my students as human beings first.
I love my area of study. I’m an unashamed nerd and say this to my kiddos, often. But as much as I love the content and skills and philosophies of my field, I care about my students as people more. Always.
As a big fan in social constructivism, I believe knowledge is collectively, collaboratively made by folks.
So, I blend small and large group discussion, critique of readings and ideas, and workshopping in my pedagogy.
I work to make my students a part of my lectures, calling on their potential prior knowledge, experiences, and examples when addressing new topics, concepts, or frameworks.
That’s my ethos, and I actively, purposefully shape my pedagogy in light of it.
It’s important for us as educators to know, examine, and refine our ethos.
Good pedagogy is informed and intentional. It’s also reflective and reflexive.
We need to know what we’re doing, drawing from education and experience with purpose, as well as why we’re doing things, based on introspection and analysis that informs our practice.
Our teacher ethos both grounds and drives our pedagogy.
So, it can be helpful to ask ourselves who we are — as people, thinkers, citizens, students, teachers, and professionals — and how that identity soup might help or cause obstacles to us doing our work well.
This asking and mapping of our ethos helps us see how the different parts of us blend together to shape not only the what that we do but also the how and why.
What about y’all?
Whatever you do, whether it be education or something else, what makes up your ethos and why? How does it help you do what you need to do the way you want to do it?
