The Art and Science of Teaching

: The Art and Science of Teaching

1 . Introduction

This maintains that teaching is both and art and science This will therefore attempt to analyze in to support the said thesis statement that there is a need to treat teaching as both as science and an art 2 . Analysis and Discussion

There are two things of approaching two concepts . One is to find their similarities and the other is to find their distinctions Sometimes words find more their meanings in their distinctions than in their similarities . Let us therefore talk first

of the distinctions between the art of education and the science of education and then we will go to similarities

2 .1 When is teaching an art

Teaching is an art (Rockman , 2000 ) because there is a particular way of doing it on case to case basis . As an art , it is more of personal approach to a problem without too much effort . There is thus just ease in its execution . Hence , the art of teaching under this conception need not be research-based as to approach teaching in a systematic manner but more in the understanding by the teacher of the different situations as far as the uniqueness of his or her students inside and outside the classroom would pose as challenge to his or her creativity

2 .2 Why teaching is a science

It is a science because there is a study and application of knowledge (Gallagher , 2000 ) which essentially may be based on a study or research . Hence , it presupposes that a teacher can act based in generalized belief that certain groups of students would learn this way and certain groups learn in a more different way

2 .3 Significance of distinction

Emphasizing therefore the distinction between an art and science would dwell on treating the specimens as either one that is capable of being categorized at that belonging to a group and hence must be approached systematically if not scientifically and the other is simply the opposite that is to treat every student as unique for which a unique style must be employed as may be called for by the situation . Treating therefore teaching as an art presupposes not much reliance on research but on day to day or field experience while treating is a science implies a belief on the result of research or any scientifically done work where things or people could be categorized to possess certain characteristics which must be handled with a technique or programmed reaction

2 .3 Are there no conflicts of just having teaching as both a science and an art

Based on the above analysis and discussion , a conflict could be created ? How ? In terms of the philosophical approach of an owner of a school , the issue of treating teaching , which is part of his educational objective , as an art or science would assume material significance when it comes on how he or she will treat his or her teachers as employees If for example the...