6/2/2023 0 Comments Tabula rasa theoryThere are 3 key components that must be in place in order for an educator to carry out this concept: There are myriad ways to level the educational playing field, and invoking this practice is not only effective but also costs nothing to implement. Many students have been judged and labeled and have never been given a chance to rise above those judgements or labels. This is especially important for students coming from a low socio-economic status environment. A blank slate empowers students to shift their own paradigms and self-images in a classroom/school environment. Once the intervention has been given and carried out, however, the student has a blank slate. Students should be held accountable with fair and contextually appropriate behavioral interventions. This is not to suggest that consequences and interventions should be avoided. The concept may sound easy in theory, but it takes self-discipline, self-control, and self-reflection to put it into practice. On the surface, this may appear to be a lenient approach to negative behavior, but in my experience, it is actually the most effective method to establish and maintain long-lasting boundaries and expectations, as well as an effective way to build trusting relationships and enhance students’ self-esteem. ![]() No matter what may have transpired the previous day, students know that they will not be judged upon or reminded of any previous behaviors or incidents. Simply put, it is the idea that every student enters my classroom knowing that they do so with a fresh start each day. ![]() The concept of tabula rasa has long been a central tenet of my teaching philosophy, primarily in a behavioral context. The context I will be referring to is a looser interpretation- one that indicates a fresh start or a new beginning. The accepted etymology of the term refers to the philosophical theory that individuals are born without pre-existing mental content, and that all knowledge is gained through experience perception- that we as human beings are a “blank slate” until we have begun to experience and process life's events.
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