There is a philosophical statement that most of us are aware of, a question relating to the possibility of unperceived existence. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? And does it matter?
As a nurse educator with the end of the quarter drawing near, this statement has me thinking a lot about how I’m perceived as an educator. To facilitate the learning process for those who desire to join the profession of nursing, builds upon my sense of purpose. Almost every time I’m in the classroom or clinical arena, I am reminded that I make a difference. Not only to the lives of the students who I teach, but to the lives they will touch in their careers as well. I love my profession and am one of the fortunate few who make a living while pursuing their passion.
Making a difference is one way that service builds and develops an individual’s sense of purpose. I am grateful to be a part of a nursing faculty that possesses a great sense of purpose through our service of teaching. However, this recent reflection has made me wonder if our service is always perceived as being present to those we are serving?
Here is one example:
When a student does not do well in a course, one scenario is that the student feels the teacher is to blame. The student may say the teacher was not caring or supportive, gave unclear information, or wasn’t available. The teacher may feel the student did not follow directions, did not understand the material, and never attempted to ask for extra help. This is what brings me to the possibility of unperceived existence.
If the teacher was indeed caring, supportive, clear and available, but the student did not perceive the teacher as such, did effective teaching take place?
Okoronkwo, Onyia-Pat, Agbo, Okapala & Ndu discovered that nursing students found five qualities important for effective teaching. The five qualities ranked by the students are: being honest with students, a motivation to teach; willingness to listen and the use of good communication skills; supervising students effectively; and being positive role model. A teacher may possess all of these qualities, but if the student does not perceive that she possess those qualities, is the teacher effective? Or, does the possibility of unperceived existence apply? Could this also be said about other professions as well? Such as a manager or a lead engineer?
Background, life experiences, personal biases and cultural stereotypes influence how we perceive each other. Awareness of how we perceive others is a major learning objective woven through all nursing curriculum. It is important that the student and the instructor (or leader and team) are aware how these misperceptions and misjudgments can result in wrongly based decisions that are hurtful and can create unnecessary hurdles in a person’s life. All which can lead to negative personal consequences.
Humans use their five senses to perceive and understand their personal milieu. Our senses are limited. Our eyes have blind spots, our ears can only hear certain pitches and range, our taste is dependent upon smell, and touch depends on environmental factors such as pressure and temperature. Because of our limited senses, unperceived existence is likely to be a factor when human beings attempt to perceive and understand each other. A simple awareness of our limitations as humans is the first step to overcome misperceptions and misjudgments and improve our service of others.
“Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.” Dalai Lama XIV
