Personal Reflection Applying Transformational Learning Theory Will R. Yliniemi

In attempting to analyze and envision evidence of teaching/learning styles in my history, it is relevant that I initially make references to my family experiences and connections.

I was raised in a community that had distinct cultural boundaries. My father was of Finnish heritage, as was the community in which I was raised. My father broke the traditional expectation that Finns marry Finns, as my mother was 100% Norwegian. This union was unique in the community, and I am sure raised a few eyebrows. My father had a resolute determination that not only was my mother to be accepted as a legitimate member of this Finnish community, but that all of us would become affirmed participants in my mothers Norwegian community, which was only five miles down the road. Although this would not meet the definition of diversity, as we know it in todays vernacular, it was a big deal in 1950s North Central Minnesota.

Reflecting on what (learning or teaching) evolved from this culturally mixed family, leads me to conclude that experiences gained as a child enhanced and broadened my perspective and acceptance of people that were/are different! My father and mother insisted on inclusion, and knew that it would require effort and understanding. Both learned to speak each others language, so that communication with in-laws would not be an issue and relationships could be enhanced. Ethnic traditions from both cultures were incorporated into everyday family life.

This melting pot of ideas, traditions, and languages enriched my childhood experiences and contacts. I felt a uniqueness in my cultural heritage. Even after my mother died when I was nine years old, my father continued to practice Norwegian ethnic traditions, as he raised his six children.

This brings me to what I believe is the second most influential aspect of my early formative education - My fathers ability and skill in parenting and teaching. This very special man instilled a sense of compassion, integrity and responsibility into his children. He insisted on fairness, and equality. Neighbors, friends and community people all recognized his sense of inclusion. Although he did not understand the components of critical self-reflection or transformative learning, much of what he practiced can be partially rooted in those principles.

An additional aspect of my learning as a child was that it was your responsibility to make sure that you were self-sufficient. Examples were everywhere. If you were capable of working  you worked! You were not to take advantage of anyone and you were expected to contribute to family, school and community. You were also expected to respect elders, authority and the law.

Upon reflection of todays family, school and community structure with its coarseness and pointless self-centerism, a return to a caring compassionate responsibility based structure would be a welcomed directional change. Respect and responsibility would seem to be the foundation of critical self-reflection and the key to our ability to listen, understand and learn. The principles of transformative interchange must be removed from the intellectually dust filled shelves of Brookfield, Mezirow, Freire, Damme and others, to be incorporated in everyday dialog. But can we reach that point of understanding if we do not insist (maybe even dictate) on an adherence to mutual respect. I know the old adage that Respect must be Earned and not Demanded, but with few good practicing role models, where do we begin?

Scrutinize how we, as a society, relate to our children, as we relegate their minds to the popular culture (television, music, video tech., Hollywood, politics) and bend to satisfy with commercial materialism. We hesitate to engage, but simply insist on pacifying (directly or indirectly) to avoid the responsibility and work of parenting, teaching, learning and listening. We have come to believe that creature comforts, recreation, wealth, and outward appearances define success and happiness in our children and each other.

What if you do not or can not belong to this artificially defined position of described success? How do you respond? How do you react? How do you feel? How do you learn? How do you teach? What is your truth? How are you empowered? How are you engaged? Is it democratic? I have come to the conclusion that if there is a beginning to a solution, it must have its foundation and facilitating responsibility embedded in each of us. Liberation from an emotionally constipated state of control and power will need to be understood, evaluated and altered. The expert model of teaching and learning legitimizes power and control, and quells dialog. The alternative of learner empowerment and involvement is much more complicated and will require the creation of a respectful intellectual atmosphere and safe environment for critical input and reflection.

I have come to recognize that all learning has some basis in critical pedagogy, but that we must be careful not to become too over exuberant about the theory, which by its very nature may lead to a whole new set of hegemonic assumptions........... So the process of learning/teaching requires continual reflection, evaluation, clarification, questioning, relationship building, informing, description, wisdom and most of all, dialog.

KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT PRACTICE IS NOTHING

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999