Problematizing the Profession of Teaching from an Existential Perspective

Teachers are responsible for the present and future of their world, and the philosophy of Existentialism can help them better understand their existential responsibility. Authors will explore how the philosophy of Existentialism can help teachers, teacher educators, educational researchers, and policymakers better understand the existential responsibility that teachers shoulder. The core concepts of Existential philosophy imply that a teacher's lived experience cannot be defined solely by professional knowledge or dictates, and that teachers have the capacity to create subjective meaning through their own agency. The chapters of this edited volume advance the argument that being and becoming a teacher must be understood – at least in part – from the subjective perspective of the individual and that teachers are responsible for authoring the meaning of their lives and of their work.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 230 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2022
Publisher: Information Age Publishing

Teachers play a crucial role in society, not only as caretakers of their students in the classroom but also as stewards of the future. They are entrusted with the responsibility of shaping the present and the future of their world, a task that requires not only professional solutions but also personal responsibility rooted in subjective authenticity. In the edited volume, authors explore how the philosophy of Existentialism can help teachers, teacher educators, educational researchers, and policymakers better understand the existential responsibility that teachers shoulder.

The core concepts of Existential philosophy explored in this volume suggest that a teacher's lived experience cannot be defined solely by professional knowledge or dictates. Teachers have the capacity to create subjective meaning through their own agency, and there is no guarantee that those subjective meanings will accord with professional dictates. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that professional dictates are more valid than the existential realities of individual teachers.

The philosophy of Existentialism encourages individuals to reflect on the existential realities of isolation, freedom, meaninglessness, and death in an effort to propel individuals towards more authentic ways of engaging in the world. The chapters of this edited volume advance the argument that being and becoming a teacher must be understood – at least in part – from the subjective perspective of the individual and that teachers are responsible for authoring the meaning of their lives and of their work.

In conclusion, teachers are not only caretakers of their students but also stewards of society's future. They are entrusted with the responsibility of shaping the present and the future of their world, and the philosophy of Existentialism can help them better understand the existential responsibility that they shoulder. By reflecting on the existential realities of isolation, freedom, meaninglessness, and death, teachers can author the meaning of their lives and of their work in more authentic ways.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781648029448