In my journey as an educator, I have come to deeply appreciate the significance of fostering spiritual and ethical awareness as well as intellectual growth in my postgraduate students. My approach to teaching has evolved into something I call the ethic of presence—a philosophy that compels me to be fully engaged with my students, to see their inner development as intimately tied to their actions in the world. This ethic urges me to create environments that cultivate curiosity, critical reflection, and an active sense of responsibility, allowing students not only to absorb knowledge but to recognise their own potential to effect meaningful change.
At the heart of this ethic is the idea that learning is not just about mastering content but about being fully awake to the world around us. This reflection brings me to Maxine Greene’s concept of wide-awakeness, which has had a profound influence on my teaching. Greene speaks of the need to be alert and attentive to life’s possibilities, urging educators and students alike to be open to new perspectives and to critically engage with the world as it is—and as it could be. Wide-awakeness, to me, is the cornerstone of both learning and teaching. It is the foundation that allows the ethic of presence to flourish, as it encourages a deeper connection between intellectual inquiry and the human experience.
In practice, this philosophy shapes how I encourage my students to think about the world. I prioritise conversations around themes such as care and compassion, rooted integrity, and social responsibility, weaving these concepts into everyday learning. One example of this is the empathy circle, a structured dialogue where students engage in deep listening and reflect on diverse perspectives. This method encourages them to develop their own sense of wide-awakeness, as they begin to understand the world through the eyes of others. The empathy circle nurtures a sense of community, helping students to see themselves as part of a larger social fabric where every voice matters and every action has consequences.
Reflecting further, I also find resonance in author Ursula K. Le Guin’s vision of storytelling and the power of imagination. Le Guin believed that storytelling is more than a tool for recounting experiences; it is a powerful way to reimagine reality and envision new futures. This idea is crucial in helping students become conscious global citizens. By engaging with their own stories and those of others, they cultivate the imaginative empathy necessary to build more just, inclusive communities. Through creative exploration, students are not just learning—they are becoming the authors of their own intellectual, ethical and spiritual paths.
This sense of agency is something I strive to instil in my students through various experiential learning opportunities. One key example is the educational field trips I organise to Spain, where students explore the historical richness of Muslim Spain during the period of Convivencia (lit. “living together”, a term used to describe the period of relative peace between religions in southern Spain before 1492). In this immersive experience, they witness firsthand the complexities of coexistence between Muslims, Christians, and Jews, engaging with architectural marvels like the Alhambra palace and fortress complex in Granada and the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. These experiences deepen their understanding of pluralism and cultural interaction, offering them a broader perspective on the world and their role in it. The combination of inquiry and presence, shaped by historical context, ignites in them the sense of responsibility that Greene and Le Guin so vividly championed.
At the core of my teaching is the belief in collective responsibility—the idea that every action, no matter how small, ripples outward into the broader world. In collaborative projects, I challenge students to address real-world issues, encouraging them to use their critical thinking and creativity to develop solutions. This hands-on approach ensures that, beyond theory, they learn also to apply their skills in ways that cultivate a deeper sense of agency and interconnectedness. They emerge from these experiences with a heightened awareness of their capacity to effect positive change, understanding that their choices matter on a global scale.
Witnessing my students absorb and internalise these lessons is profoundly rewarding. When they not only understand complex concepts but also embody empathy, authenticity, and compassion, it is clear to me that they are on the path toward becoming conscious global citizens. I see them actively imagining new possibilities for themselves and for the communities they will one day teach within, and lead.
