Reflections on a Humanistic Approach to Teaching & Learning

Abstract

These reflections of an intensely personal nature contain some of the guiding
principles of my day-to-day work and the manner in which they have helped me to get to
grips with the challenges of teaching English in different cultural environments. These
reflections are grounded in a humanistic tradition associated with Carl Rogers and
Paulo Freire. Drawing from this theoretical framework, my own teaching practice
continues to be rooted in the belief that the ultimate objective of learning is the
empowerment of the learner. From that perspective, the ultimate objective for a teacher
is to relinquish authority in order to become a facilitator for empowered learning - the
flint to spark a fire.