A review by thebeardedpoet
The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life by Parker J. Palmer
3.0
I was really struck by Palmer’s observation that the fear of the teacher and the fear of the student tends to lead to holding the other at arm’s length or, even worse, attempts at inflicting wounds on each other. The necessity for the teacher to examine one’s inner being and to recognize that fear and find ways to counteract the dangers of broken connection caused by it seems vitally important to me. If the emotion of fear dominates procedures and practices, learning will suffer. Also, if the teacher enters the learning environment with an awareness of the possibility of the students dealing with fear themselves, perhaps the teacher will not be as quick to jump to assumptions about the student’s inability to learn. Sometimes the obstacle to learning is the fear the student brings into the learning opportunity from his or her past experiences or current life situation. Empathy for the student can assist in building a bridge that will foster community and connection in the classroom.
These insights call for me to be more self-aware when I am in the position of teacher. I must be willing to acknowledge my own fear of failure, silence, the boredom expressed by the students, and even the possibility that the students will actively express their dislike of me personally. Being aware of these fears and recognizing where they come from allows me to counteract them. I can remind myself that while failure is possible and the students might dislike me or express disgust with the material of the class or the subject, I have the capacity to bring my passion for the subject before the students. I can actively invite the students into engagement with the subject. I meet the student with empathy, recognizing they may have fears as well. Perhaps by recognizing my own fears, I can be more compassionate in the learning environment, rather than working so hard to impose my will on the students or punish them in some way for what I perceived as their disinterest or difficulties.
One of the differences between myself as a teacher and what Palmer describes is my tendency to present as much information about the subject as possible, particularly when teaching Bible studies. I thoroughly prepare for each lesson, looking at the subject from a historical, theological, and personal application standpoint. Although I actively invite questions and discussion in the classes, I do admit that deep down a part of me is attempting to impress the group with my knowledge. Recognizing this I should try to move towards more of a microcosm approach where I enlist the students in the practice of Bible study. While I do already provide the students with assignments which give opportunities for the practice of Inductive Bible Study, I should be on guard against the factoid style of teaching during our time together. I should aim to be more creative in how we use our time together, rather than trying to impress with how well prepared I am.
These insights call for me to be more self-aware when I am in the position of teacher. I must be willing to acknowledge my own fear of failure, silence, the boredom expressed by the students, and even the possibility that the students will actively express their dislike of me personally. Being aware of these fears and recognizing where they come from allows me to counteract them. I can remind myself that while failure is possible and the students might dislike me or express disgust with the material of the class or the subject, I have the capacity to bring my passion for the subject before the students. I can actively invite the students into engagement with the subject. I meet the student with empathy, recognizing they may have fears as well. Perhaps by recognizing my own fears, I can be more compassionate in the learning environment, rather than working so hard to impose my will on the students or punish them in some way for what I perceived as their disinterest or difficulties.
One of the differences between myself as a teacher and what Palmer describes is my tendency to present as much information about the subject as possible, particularly when teaching Bible studies. I thoroughly prepare for each lesson, looking at the subject from a historical, theological, and personal application standpoint. Although I actively invite questions and discussion in the classes, I do admit that deep down a part of me is attempting to impress the group with my knowledge. Recognizing this I should try to move towards more of a microcosm approach where I enlist the students in the practice of Bible study. While I do already provide the students with assignments which give opportunities for the practice of Inductive Bible Study, I should be on guard against the factoid style of teaching during our time together. I should aim to be more creative in how we use our time together, rather than trying to impress with how well prepared I am.