Authentic teaching: To be or not to be ?

• What does it mean to be authentic when teaching online?

• What does it mean to be formal when teaching online?

• Are “being authentic” and “being formal" contradictory? Can a teacher be authentic and formal at the same time?

• Does having casual online conversations mean authentic teaching?

• Does having strict guidelines mean formal learning?

• And above all, why are we asking these questions? What is the implications for authentic teaching to learning? What factors should affect one's decision to choose a teaching style?

This post will not answer all of these questions but delve into one of the two concepts: authenticity in teaching and what that means for learners.

What does it mean to be “authentic" when teaching?

There are myriad definitions of “authenticity” in literature. Authenticity is no doubt an “intriguing but also complex and multidimensional” phenomenon (Kreber et al, 2007).

Scholars have long tried to define and pinpoint the nuances of “authenticity”. One of the approach is to view “authenticity” as a self-actualization proces. Cranton (2001) mentioned that to becoming authentic is a process of finding one's identity. This is often a challenge as our reality is constructed based on the attitudes, feelings, and desires learned from others (Erich Fromm, 1969). Thus, to become authentic, one must learn to achieve their own identity: to separate one’s own essence from the identity constructed from the recognition we gained from others (Erich Fromm, 1969) and define ourselves on our own term.

In the context of education, authentic teaching and learning can also mean a few different things. Authenticity in teaching, through the aforementioned identity achievement lens, means “being genuine, bringing parts of oneself into interactions with students, and critically reflecting on self, others, relationships and context”. At the same time, authentic online learning means “the use of real-life tasks supported by new technologies, together with access to the vast array of open educational resources on the Internet, have the potential to improve the quality of online learning” (Parker, 2013). Here, because of the suggested example “having a casual online conversation", I will steer away from discussing authentic teaching as using real-life scenarios for teaching. Rather, I would focus on the authentic presence of teachers in the classroom.

Does authenticity matter?

Modern education, especially in North America, has emphasized helping one acquire a sense of “being”. The freedom to be whoever you are is an underlying philosophy of everything we see in America. We fight for inclusivity in the classroom where learners are respected as they are. We try to teach critical thinking so that our learners can be aware of different perspectives and adopt viewpoints that are truest to them regardless of external influences. It can thus be argued that if authenticity is to be fostered for the learners, shouldn't it be critical that educators learn to be their authentic selves first?

On the other hand, “authenticity” is believed to make individuals not only “more whole, more aware” but also “more content with their personal and professional lives”. By enabling educators to be themselves, they will better engage and empower their learners. According to Palmer (1998), authentic teachers (in his language, those who have found their integrity) bring multiple benefits to learning and teaching. They care deeply about the subject and the students and enable connections between students and the subject.

By showing up authentically, teachers are perceived as more “human" and stand a better chance of connecting with the students too. In a project on improving online learning at SPS, one teacher made an interesting remark “My evaluation score went up during the pandemic when I was teaching via Zoom. Students were excited to see my cat and my teenage daughters walking in the background". Online teaching during the pandemic, in a peculiar way, has allowed us to get a glimpse of each other's authentic normal life that we may not have seen if we only attended class in person.

Are there cases when authentic teaching is not so desirable?

Imagine if a trainer, in the name of being authentic, showed up in class disheveled after partying hard the night before. Or does a trainer hold on to his personal beliefs and simply reject students' opinions that go otherwise? Or does a lesson turn into a series of casual conversations about one's life?

Much as I advocate people to be themselves and teachers to bring their essence into teaching, I believe an important question we all need to ask is “How do the things I am doing support my learners’ growth?”. While authenticity emphasizes the emancipation from others' expectations and societal constraints”, authentic teachers should not base their decisions on the basis of their own self-interests and values. Educators must constantly navigate and negotiate the barriers between what is true and what is of value for the learners.

In conclusion, Authentic or not authentic: to be or not to be - That might not be the question. The real question is, as Grimmet and Neufeld (1994) suggested, ““Is this in the important interest of learners?”. What is in the best interest of learners needs to be negotiated and critically reflected on, but it is, in essence, the development of their “authenticity””.

Reference

Cranton, P. A. (2001). Becoming an authentic teacher in higher education. Malabar, FL: Krieger.

Fromm, E. (1969). Escape from freedom. New York: Avon.

Grimmet, P., & Neufeld, J. (Eds.). (1994). Teacher development and the struggle for authenticity. Professional growth and restructuring in the context of change. New York: Teachers College Press.

Kreber, C., Klampfleitner, M., McCune, V., Bayne, S., & Knottenbelt, M. (2007). What do you mean by “authentic”? A comparative review of the literature on conceptions of authenticity in teaching. Adult Education Quarterly, 58(1), 22-43.

Palmer, P. (1998). The courage to teach. Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Parker, J., Maor, D., & Herrington, J. (2013). Authentic online learning: Aligning learner needs, pedagogy and technology. Issues in Educational Research, 23(2), 227-241.