Baxter Magolda's Theory Of Self-Authorship

The journey of learning more about myself and understanding who I am as a person has been an upward climb. Most times it felt as though learning who I am was similar to attempting to ride a unicycle up the side of a steep mountain, with rocks rolling down along the way knocking me off of my path. However, as I have examined and reflected on who I am as a learner and how I learn, I have been able to gain a greater understanding of who I am as a person. This paper will examine the growth that I have experienced as a learner, how Baxter Magolda’s journey of self-authorship, the role of moral mentors, vocational theories, and spiritual development theories have impacted me as a learner, and how this knowledge will impact my remanding time in the …show more content…
Baxter Magolda’s theory of self-authorship is formed around three main questions. The questions are: how do I know?, who am I?, how do I want to construct relationships with others? (cite pg. 184). Self-authorship has played a prominent role in my life far before I knew the formal theory. Choosing to be the only one of my siblings to not attend the University of Illinois for college and to not pursue the path of becoming a lawyer involved choosing my own beliefs, even if it meant others not understanding my decisions. Throughout this past year I have also been able to apply the self-authorship theory to my educational and professional identities. Starting at the athletic learning center, I focused on doing what other learning assistants had done before me. I followed the formula that was expected, without knowing why and without adapting my approach to meet each student where they are at …show more content…
I am a slow processor so I am not always able to contribute to discussions in significant ways. While my classmates share their thoughts, questions, and experiences, I am still trying to wrap my head around what I am learning and what I have read. Cite liddell definition of moral mentor. I am able to find this in both my assistantship supervisor and in my mother. As I am learning new things, both inside and outside of the classroom, I turn to them for advice and guidance. An especially vital aspect of my moral mentorship is that those individuals challenge me to partake in difficult dialogues. Cite defines difficult dialogue as the, “exchange of ideas or opinions between citizens within a community that centers on an awakening of potentially conflicting views, beliefs, or values about social justice issues” (cite). My mentors are able to help me in having the difficult conversations that I am hesitant to have in classroom settings. It is through this outside learning that I am able to make greater meaning. My moral mentors also allow me the opportunity to focus on reflection, which is a large part of who I am as a