The most essential part of education is helping students think critically and reflect on the world around them. In today’s interconnected world, shaped by globalization, this means preparing them to engage with society in an informed and ethical way. Education should not just pass on knowledge—it should transform the way people see and act in the world.

Teachers are not simply providers of information. We help shape values, perspectives, and ways of living. In the past, cultural traditions guided people’s understanding of life. Today, with fast communication and growing rationality, we must rethink our role. Education is no longer about being at the top of a hierarchy. It is about working with students to build a fairer and more conscious society.

Sociologists like Max Weber and Émile Durkheim have shaped my teaching. Weber’s idea of a world ruled by scientific logic, yet often lacking deeper meaning, still rings true. Durkheim saw education as more than training—it was a moral and social process that helped hold communities together. His ideas still guide my view of education as essential for both social cohesion and preparing people for work.

Education is also central to democracy. Seymour Martin Lipset once said that when people have access to education, they value democracy; without it, they can be drawn to authoritarian ideas. In Latin America, poor investment in education has fueled poverty, weakened institutions, and kept corrupt systems in place.

Great teachers throughout history have defended human dignity, encouraged respect for diversity, and fostered critical thinking. Education should be a lifelong, ethical effort that helps people become active citizens. Believing in the value of teaching is key to building a fair and sustainable future.

After more than thirty years of teaching—from universities to prisons, from corporate settings to marginalized communities—I still ask myself why I keep teaching. Coming to Canada after many years abroad feels like a new beginning. I have worked with students from all walks of life, and each time I am reminded that I also have much to learn. Unlike King Lear, I hope to gain wisdom before old age.

For me, education is a social practice. It is about exploring beliefs, values, and norms through active learning. Teachers are shaped by the classroom as much as they shape it. That is why I question educational “experts” who have never taught. Without the experience of working with real students, their theories often feel empty.

Teaching should never be just an intellectual exercise. It must be connected to real life and human experience. Bertrand Russell warned that education can sometimes become an obstacle to free thought. Our job is to prevent that from happening. As Paulo Freire said, we are “condemned to hope”—and that hope begins in the classroom.