Taoist wisdom on individualized teaching and learning—Reinterpretation through the perspective of Tao Te Ching

Abstract

In an era when individuality has been increasingly emphasized, the development of science and technology has provided technical support for the realization of individuation. However, in an examination-oriented education system, the education model has not attached sufficient importance to individuality. The modern education industry focuses much on the massive production of college degree holders. Student’s unique talents are mostly neglected, and their personality and creativity are not given due consideration in the teaching process. It is time to emphasize individualized teaching and learning in the contemporary paradigm of education. Taoist wisdom of individuality, pluralism, and diversity has great philosophical value and practical revelation to the modern education. Thus, an eastern perspective on the understanding of individualized teaching and learning is presented. The author argues that a university should not be an industrial factory, but a nurturing garden where students’ nature as humans are understood and their individual differences are respected. Some Taoist transformative paradigms for the future pedagogies are proposed in the hope of provoking arguments and exploring the future of higher education in an age of disruption. Finally, some Taoist practices for a better understanding of individualized teaching and learning are introduced.

Keywords:

• Taoism
• Tao Te Ching
• Self-awareness
• Individuality
• Diversity
• Self-cultivation

Acknowledgments

Tao Te Ching’s poetic verses in Chinese leave much open to interpretation, hence there are many different translation versions. My translation of some sentences in the Tao Te Ching was inspired by the translation of Lin Yu-tang (1948); J. H. McDonald (1996); Arthur Waley (1934); Jane English & Gia-fu Feng (1989); D.T. Suzuki & Paul Carus (1880); Frederic H Balfour (1884); James Legge (1891); Dwight Goddard & Henri Borel (1919); R. B. Blakney (1955); D. C. Lau (1963); Stephen Mitchell (1988); S. Addiss & S. Lombardo (1993). I also wish to acknowledge anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.