Teaching can never be innocent: fostering an enlightening educational experience

Becoming cognizant of the actual and potential oppressive dimensions of the teaching practices of nurse educators is essential in establishing a more democratic and enlightening experience for both teachers and students. Although there has been an ardent trend toward the promotion of critical thinking and reflective ability among nursing students, rarely has attention focused on the ability of nurse educators to be critically reflective of their own teaching. The authors pose key questions about the reality of nursing education today and how it can sometimes continue to reflect a philosophy that seems to contravene the notion of a more liberated approach to teaching. In that process, they reflect critically on the subtle incongruities and complexities between teachers' intentions and their practice.