Dr. Dan Pratt’s profile: https://edst.educ.ubc.ca/pratt-dan/
Pillars of Purpose in Teaching
Daniel D. Pratt, Brett Schrewe, and Martin V. Pusic
People often look for a
shadow of themselves
when evaluating another teacher.
To see teaching clearly,
We must look through four lenses
Each one is a pillar of purpose.
Teaching as a Cultural Act
We do not teach
from a neutral position.
Teaching exists within culture.
It is shaped by history,
tradition, and inherited roles.
Every classroom decision
reflects assumptions
about truth, relationship,
and power.
To teach well, we must ask:
Whose stories are we telling?
Whose ways of knowing
are we elevating?
Teaching as an Intellectual Act
It begins with thought
It begins with truth.
Good teachers engage students
with critical questions,
core concepts, and
unresolved debates.
It is guided by reason,
shaped by evidence,
driven by curiosity.
The teacher becomes
a translator of complexity,
a guide through uncertainty.
Teaching as a Relational Act
It begins with connection and
It begins with trust.
Good teaching engages the heart
It is built through presence
It is shaped through dialogue
It is sustained through respect.
Students interpret content
through the lens of connection
They seek feedback,
Clarity and care.
The teacher is not just a transmitter
but a partner in learning.
Teaching as a Moral Act
Teacher is watched
not only in action,
but in integrity.
Good teaching faces dilemmas
It navigates ambiguity
It responds to complexity
It acts when no rule applies.
To teach ethics,
one must live ethically
To teach compassion,
one must act compassionately.
What we choose to do
teaches more than
what we say.
Becoming Teacher
Each teacher begins with
a commitment to one of those.
Over time those
commitments deepen,
and those become a
pedagogical identity.
Don’t look for a
shadow of thy self;
Look for the Pillars of Purpose.
[1] Pratt, Schrewe, Pusic. Pedagogical validity: The key to understanding different forms of ‘good’ teaching, Medical Teacher. 2019 Jun;41(6):638-640. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2018.1533242.Epub 2019 Jan 28.