Follow the guidelines below and design your own working philosophy of family life education (FLE). Address the bolded questions in your discussion. (The questions that follow each bold question help to give ideas and direction on how to respond to the bolded question. They do not have to be directly addressed.)
What are my beliefs about the family and the nature and quality of family life and the human experience? What is a “family”? How important are families? What values do I hold regarding families and the human experience?
What are my beliefs about the purpose of FLE? What value does FLE have in communities? Is it to provide insight, skills, and knowledge? Is it to change behavior? How “interventionist” should FLE be?
What are my beliefs about the content of FLE? Of what value is university-based theory and research to families? Of what value are the lived experiences of individuals, families, and communities, and how can they become part of the content of FLE? How do my personal values regarding families and the human experience influence the content I select?
What are my beliefs about the process of learning for families in outreach settings? How do individuals and families learn most effectively? What teaching strategies have the greatest impact? How important are learning goals and evaluation in these processes? What assumptions do I hold about learners?
Which approach best describes you, and why? Review the various approaches discussed in the chapter 1. Different FLE settings may necessitate different approaches. But most of us will find a place where we are most comfortable and effective.
