
It’s easy to assume the mantle of authority in the classroom (one of my undergraduate history professors used to say that professors are those to profess to know). In some cases, that may be exactly what many students want. In the interview, Dr. Bain says, “We often teach as if we are God.” How refreshing and revealing, though, when we acknowledge the tentative and limited nature of our knowledge. Particularly as we work with advanced students, I think it’s critical to “pull back the curtain,” and provide students with a sense of the real work of academia – the tentative nature of knowledge, the struggle with ideas, and the challenge of articulating them with integrity.
If you have a little more than half an hour, do yourself a favor and enjoy the podcast.
What does being authentic mean to you?
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