The Courage to Teach

Teaching as an Inward Journey

Effective teaching requires an inward journey of self-discovery. Teachers must deeply understand their own emotions, spiritual desires, and intellectual views. This self-awareness is crucial for genuinely impactful teaching.

When teachers are disconnected from their inner selves, their teaching becomes detached and ineffective. But when teachers cultivate self-knowledge, they can bring their authentic selves into the classroom. This allows them to connect meaningfully with students and the subject matter.

The teacher's inner life is the wellspring of good teaching. By exploring their identity and integrity, teachers can develop the authority and presence needed to guide students on their own journeys of learning and growth. This inward work is not self-indulgent, but rather the foundation for serving students well.

Here are examples from the context that support the key insight that effective teaching originates from the teacher's inner self:

• The author states that "good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher." This emphasizes that a teacher's inner sense of self is more important than just using teaching methods and techniques.

• The author recounts stories from students about their good teachers, where students describe how the teachers' strong "sense of personal identity infuses their work." This shows how a teacher's inner self and authenticity is crucial for effective teaching.

• The author describes how "bad teachers distance themselves from the subject they are teaching—and in the process, from their students," whereas "good teachers join self and subject and students in the fabric of life." This illustrates how a teacher's inner connection to the subject and students is key.

• The author explains that "the courage to teach is the courage to keep one's heart open" and that teaching "tugs at the heart, opens the heart, even breaks the heart." This highlights how teaching requires a teacher to be vulnerable and access their inner emotional landscape.

• The author contrasts the "technical" approach to teaching, which "fails to touch the heart of a teacher's experience," with the need to "talk to each other about our inner lives" as teachers. This emphasizes the importance of the teacher's inner world for effective teaching.

Integrity and Identity in Education

Good teaching is not just about mastering techniques, but about the integrity and identity of the teacher. A teacher's personal experiences, mentors, and inner life shape their approach to the classroom in profound ways.

Effective teaching comes from the teacher's sense of self, not just their toolbox of methods. A teacher's ability to connect with students and the subject matter depends on their willingness to make their authentic self available in service of learning. Great teachers have a strong personal identity that infuses their work.

Teaching is a complex, lifelong process of self-discovery. A teacher's identity is the unique intersection of forces that make them who they are. Integrity is how a teacher relates to those forces in ways that bring wholeness and life, rather than fragmentation. This inner work is essential for developing the authority and presence needed to guide students on an inner journey.

Educational institutions often discourage this kind of inner exploration, favoring a culture of fear, distance, and disconnection. But true reform in education requires recovering the teacher's inner resources - their sense of self, their vocation, and their willingness to be vulnerable. This is the seldom-taken trail toward better serving students and revitalizing the teaching profession.

Here are key examples from the context that support the insight that teaching is about the integrity and identity of the teacher, not just techniques:

• The author shares how despite having "a substantial stockpile of methods", when he walks into a new class, he still feels like a "novice" dealing with "perennial, familiar" problems that "take me by surprise". This shows teaching is not just about mastering techniques.

• The author notes that when students describe their "good teachers", they highlight a "strong sense of personal identity" that "infuses their work", rather than just the teaching methods used. For example, students say things like "Dr. A is really there when she teaches" and "You can tell this is really Prof. C's life."

• In contrast, "bad teachers" are described as having their "words float somewhere in front of their faces" - they have distanced themselves from both the subject and the students, rather than bringing their full identity to the teaching.

• The author uses the metaphor of being a "sheepdog" to illustrate how his own identity and integrity as a teacher shapes his approach, rather than just relying on techniques. This metaphor reveals insights about how he sees his role in creating a "space" for learning, holding the group together, and protecting them.

• The author emphasizes that "good teaching cannot be reduced to technique" and instead "comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher." The diversity of effective teaching styles, from lecturing to Socratic dialogue, shows it is not about a single method.

The Overlooked 'Who' in Educational Reform

The key insight of this book is that educational reform must address the inner life of teachers, not just the technical aspects of teaching. Typical reform efforts focus on the what (curriculum) and how (teaching methods) of education, but neglect the crucial question of who is doing the teaching.

The author argues that good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher, not just their mastery of techniques. A teacher's ability to connect with students and the subject matter depends on their willingness to make their authentic self available in the classroom. Reforms that fail to nurture the teacher's inner life will fall short, no matter how well-intentioned.

This overlooked dimension of the "who" is the heart of effective teaching and lasting educational change. By exploring the teacher's sense of self, educational institutions can better support the human resources at the core of learning. Addressing the teacher's identity is essential for serving students faithfully, enhancing teacher well-being, and empowering the teaching profession to transform education.

Here are key examples from the context that support the insight that educational reform often neglects the importance of the teacher's personal identity:

• The author notes that the "who" question - "who is the self that teaches?" - is a seldom-asked question in discussions about educational reform, even though it is a fundamental question about teaching and those who teach.

• The author shares stories from students about their good teachers, where the students emphasize the teacher's strong sense of personal identity and presence, rather than just their teaching techniques. For example, one student said "Dr. A is really there when she teaches" and another said "You can tell that this is really Prof. C's life."

• The author contrasts this with "bad teachers" whose "words float somewhere in front of their faces, like the balloon speech in cartoons" - suggesting they have distanced themselves from the subject and their students.

• The author argues that "good teaching cannot be reduced to technique" and instead "comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher." The teacher's ability to connect with students and the subject depends on their willingness to make their "selfhood" available and vulnerable.

• The author notes that in academic culture, there is a "fear of the personal" and a tendency to seek "safety in the technical, the distant, the abstract" when discussing teaching, rather than addressing the teacher's inner life.

So in summary, the key examples illustrate how educational reform often overlooks the crucial role of the teacher's personal identity and inner life, in favor of a focus on techniques and methods. The author argues this is a critical oversight that must be addressed.

Embracing Paradox in Teaching

Embracing Paradox in Teaching

Teaching is not about finding simple solutions, but rather navigating the complex tensions inherent in the learning process. The principle of paradox suggests that effective teaching requires embracing contradictory truths, rather than trying to resolve them.

This approach recognizes that the classroom is a dynamic space, where opposing forces - such as openness and boundaries, individual and group voices, silence and speech - must be held in balance. By designing learning environments that honor these paradoxical tensions, teachers can create an electric charge that keeps students engaged and learning at deeper levels.

Practicing paradox in teaching is not about following a rigid formula, but rather cultivating a mindset that embraces the inherent complexity of the human experience. It requires teachers to be attuned to their own inner lives, recognizing how their sense of self is both dependent on and independent from their students' responses. This self-awareness allows teachers to stay grounded in their gifts, even when the classroom experience is challenging.

Ultimately, the power of paradox in teaching lies in its ability to capture the profound truths of the human condition. By holding seemingly contradictory ideas together, teachers can help students grapple with the nuances and ambiguities that define our lived experiences. This approach doesn't offer simple answers, but rather opens the door to a richer, more meaningful educational journey.

Here are examples from the context that support the key insight of embracing paradox in teaching:

• The author describes 6 paradoxical tensions they aim to build into the teaching and learning space: - The space should be bounded and open - The space should be hospitable and 'charged' - The space should invite the voice of the individual and the group - The space should honor the 'little' stories of the students and the 'big' stories of the disciplines and tradition - The space should support solitude and surround it with the resources of community - The space should welcome both silence and speech

• In the classroom example, the author chose the text "Habits of the Heart" because it "embodies both openness and boundaries" - the boundaries of clear issues and the openness of reflective exploration.

• The author invited students to focus on the picture of freedom in "Habits of the Heart" and then "open that space" by asking "What's wrong with this picture?" based on their own experiences, honoring both the bounded topic and the open invitation for student perspectives.

• When a student shared a personal story about a false arrest, the author saw this as an opportunity to honor both the "little" story of the student's experience and the "big" story of the course material.

• The author reflects that the tension of holding paradoxes together "is not hell-bent on tearing me apart" but rather "wants to pull my heart open to something larger than myself", suggesting that embracing paradox can lead to deeper, more profound learning.

Community-Centered Knowing

Knowledge is not an objective, static thing to be simply transmitted from teacher to student. Rather, knowledge is dynamically constructed within a community of learners. In this view, teachers, students, and the subject matter itself all play active roles, engaging in an ongoing dialogue to collectively build understanding.

The traditional model of teaching as a one-way transfer of information from expert to novice is insufficient. True learning happens when teachers and students come together around a shared subject, exploring its complexities and nuances through collaborative inquiry. The classroom becomes a community of truth, where all participants contribute their perspectives and learn from one another.

This relational approach to knowledge recognizes that learning is inherently social. We do not learn in isolation, but by connecting with others and situating our understanding within a broader context. The community provides the fertile ground for deep, transformative learning to take place.

Here are examples from the context that support the key insight of a community-centered approach to knowing:

• The author argues for a "subject-centered classroom" where the "great thing" being studied is the central focus, rather than just the teacher or students. This allows for a dynamic interaction between all participants in the "community of truth."

• The author contrasts this with the "teacher-centered" and "student-centered" models, which can lead to "narcissism" where either the teacher or students dominate. The subject-centered approach merges the best of both.

• The author states that "true community in any context requires a transcendent third thing that holds both me and thee accountable to something beyond ourselves." In education, this "third thing" is the subject being studied.

• The author gives the example of a college with the motto "The pursuit of truth in the company of friends." This illustrates how the rigors of learning require a "bond of affection" within the learning community.

• The author argues that evaluation and grading, when used properly, can actually enhance community by creating "interdependence" between teachers and students, rather than just top-down power dynamics.

• The author contrasts the isolation of teaching, where teachers "close the door on our colleagues," with the collaborative nature of other professions like law and medicine. This privatization of teaching hinders the development of a true community of practice.

Movements Over Organizations for Educational Reform

Movements, not just formal organizations, are the key to meaningful educational reform. Movements empower teachers to align their actions with their deepest values, creating a more authentic and effective educational environment.

In contrast, relying solely on organizations often leads to "despair" and "resentment" when faced with institutional resistance to change. Organizations are inherently focused on maintaining the status quo and rewarding compliance, stifling the visionary thinking needed for reform.

Movements, on the other hand, generate a "movement mentality" that sees resistance as an opportunity, not a dead end. By building communities of like-minded individuals and going public with their vision, movements can create an alternative system of rewards and pressure organizations to change.

This dynamic process allows movements to "alter the logic of organizations" over time, gradually reshaping them to better serve the needs of teachers, students, and society. Rather than trying to persuade reluctant authorities, movements empower people to take responsibility and create the change they seek.

Understanding the stages of movement development can help educators recognize where they fit in the process of educational reform. By embracing a movement mentality, teachers can find the courage and community to transform the conditions that impact their work, ultimately benefiting their students and the world.

Here are key examples from the context that support the insight that movements are more effective than organizations for educational reform:

• The author states that movements can help teachers "align our actions as teachers with the meaning we attach to our work" and experience "the satisfaction of living by our best lights" - suggesting movements allow teachers to be more authentic and effective.

• The author describes how movements can generate "alternative rewards" that undermine the power of traditional institutions, such as the "intangible but powerful rewards" of "learning more about one's identity", "being in community with supportive and like-minded people", and "living a more expansive public life."

• The author contrasts movements with organizations, noting that movements can "alter the logic of organizations" by making their "punishments irrelevant" and evolving an "alternative system of rewards" - allowing movements to drive change in rigid institutions.

• The author gives the example of how the rise of business, industry, and military education has forced "traditional higher education" to "open itself to renewal" - illustrating how movements outside formal education can spur reform.

• The author suggests that educators should "understand how a movement works and try on a movement mentality" in order to "make common cause with people in the public realm who can help the movement along" - highlighting the power of movement thinking over an organizational approach.

Quotes

Let's take a look at some key quotes from "The Courage to Teach" that resonated with readers.

Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.

Effective teaching is not just about mastering certain skills or methods, but rather it stems from the teacher's genuine character and sense of self. A teacher's unique personality, values, and life experiences shape their approach to teaching, making it more authentic and impactful. When a teacher is true to themselves, they can form meaningful connections with their students and the subject matter, leading to a more engaging and transformative learning experience.

I want to learn how to hold the paradoxical poles of my identity together, to embrace the profoundly opposite truths that my sense of self is deeply dependent on others dancing with me and that I still have a sense of self when no one wants to dance.

The speaker seeks to balance the contradictory aspects of their identity, acknowledging that their sense of self is both deeply connected to others and yet remains intact even when they are alone. This delicate dance between interdependence and independence allows them to embrace the complexity of their own nature. By doing so, they can cultivate a more authentic and whole sense of self.

The highest form of love is the love that allows for intimacy without the annihilation of difference.

True connection requires embracing individuality while fostering closeness. This means valuing the unique qualities and perspectives of others, rather than trying to merge into a single entity. By doing so, we can create a deep sense of unity that celebrates diversity, allowing relationships to flourish.

Chapter Notes

Introduction

• Teaching is a reflection of the teacher's inner self: The author argues that teaching, like any truly human activity, emerges from one's inwardness, for better or worse. The complexities and entanglements experienced in the classroom are often a reflection of the teacher's inner life.

• Self-knowledge is crucial for effective teaching: The author emphasizes that self-knowledge is as crucial to good teaching as knowing one's students and subject matter. When a teacher does not know themselves, they cannot see their students or subject clearly, which hinders their ability to teach effectively.

• The "who" question is often overlooked in educational reform: The author argues that the common questions asked in educational reform (what, how, and why) are important, but they often overlook the fundamental question of "who is the self that teaches?" This question about the teacher's inner landscape is a seldom-taken trail in the quest for educational reform.

• Intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of teaching: The author suggests that to fully chart the inner landscape of the teaching self, three important paths must be taken: intellectual (how we think about teaching and learning), emotional (how we and our students feel as we teach and learn), and spiritual (how we answer the heart's longing to be connected with the largeness of life).

• The practical value of exploring the teacher's inner life: The author argues that while the focus on the teacher's inner life may seem indulgent or irrelevant, it is, in fact, highly practical. Understanding one's inner terrain can lead to more surefooted teaching and living, as it helps the "real teacher" to show up.

• The importance of supporting the teacher's inner life: The author suggests that educational institutions should support the teacher's inner life, as it is crucial for their ability to educate students. Failing to support the teacher's inner life can hinder the institution's ability to fulfill its educational mission.

Chapter I - The Heart of a Teacher Identity and Integrity in Teaching

• Identity and Integrity in Teaching: Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique, but rather comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher. Identity refers to the complex convergence of forces that make up one's selfhood, while integrity refers to relating to those forces in life-giving ways.

• The Power of Mentors: Reflecting on the mentors who evoked us can help us reclaim the selfhood from which good teaching comes. Mentors have the power to awaken a truth within us, which we can later reclaim by remembering their impact.

• Subjects that Choose Us: The subjects of study that drew us in can also reveal key aspects of our identity and integrity. Remembering how a subject shed light on our sense of self can renew our connection to the heart of teaching.

• The Teacher Within: The call to teach ultimately comes from the voice of the teacher within, the inner guide that speaks to our true identity and integrity. Attending to this inner teacher is crucial for developing the authority to teach from the depths of our own truth.

• Overcoming the Academic Bias Against Selfhood: The academic culture often distrusts the personal and subjective, valuing only "objective" knowledge. This bias against the self can lead teachers to distance themselves from students, subjects, and their own inner truth, undermining their ability to teach with heart.

• Reclaiming the Heart to Teach: When teachers lose heart, it is often because they have become disconnected from their identity and integrity. Revisiting the formative encounters and inner callings that drew them to teaching can help teachers reclaim the selfhood from which good teaching emerges.

Chapter II - A Culture of Fear Education and the Disconnected Life

• Fear in Students: Students often exhibit behaviors like silence, withdrawal, and cynicism due to fear, not ignorance or banality. This fear stems from feeling marginalized and disempowered in society. As teachers, we need to recognize and address this fear in our students, rather than assuming they are simply apathetic or unintelligent.

• Fear in Teachers: Teachers also experience fear, often a fear of the judgment of their students. This fear can lead teachers to distance themselves from their students, subjects, and even their own inner lives, in an attempt to maintain an illusion of objectivity and control. Overcoming this fear is crucial for developing the capacity for connectedness in teaching.

• Objectivism as a Fearful Mode of Knowing: The dominant mode of knowing in academia, called objectivism, is rooted in fear. Objectivism seeks to distance the knower from the known, in the belief that this will lead to "pure" and "objective" knowledge. However, this mode of knowing fails to account for the relational and communal nature of genuine understanding, as exemplified by the work of biologist Barbara McClintock.

• Spirituality and Overcoming Fear: The great spiritual traditions offer a path for transcending the paralyzing effects of fear. The core message of "be not afraid" does not mean we should not have fears, but rather that we need not be defined by our fears. By accessing other aspects of our inner landscape, such as curiosity, hope, and empathy, we can choose to teach and engage with the world from a place of connection rather than fear.

• The Yearning for Connectedness: Underlying the human experience of fear is a deep yearning for connectedness, a desire to be "not cut off" from the larger web of life. By honoring and responding to this yearning, we can find our way back to a state of grace where encounters with otherness enrich our work and our lives, rather than threatening us.

Chapter III - The Hidden Wholeness Paradox in Teaching and Learning

• Paradox as a Principle for Thinking and Teaching: The chapter introduces the concept of paradox as a way of understanding the complexities and potentials of teaching and learning. Paradox refers to the idea that "the opposite of a true statement is a false statement, but the opposite of a profound truth can be another profound truth." This principle of paradox can guide us in thinking about the self, classroom dynamics, and pedagogical design.

• The Limits and Potentials of Self: The chapter explores the paradoxical nature of the self, where the same person can teach brilliantly one day and be an utter flop the next. By examining moments of both success and failure in teaching, we can gain deeper understanding of our identity and the gifts and liabilities that come with it.

• Paradoxical Tensions in Pedagogical Design: The chapter outlines six paradoxical tensions that the author considers when designing a teaching and learning space: 1) the space should be bounded and open, 2) hospitable and "charged", 3) invite individual and group voices, 4) honor both "little" stories and "big" stories, 5) support solitude and surround it with community, and 6) welcome both silence and speech.

• Practicing Paradox in the Classroom: The chapter provides a detailed example of how the author implements these paradoxical principles in a specific classroom session, demonstrating how the tensions between opposites can be held together to create a rich and engaging learning environment.

• Holding the Tension of Opposites: The chapter emphasizes that the ability to hold paradoxes together is not a matter of technique, but rather a matter of the teacher's heart and willingness to embrace the suffering and tension that comes with it. Drawing on the insights of E.F. Schumacher and Rainer Maria Rilke, the chapter suggests that by patiently living into the contradictions, teachers can open themselves to a larger love and a deeper understanding of the paradoxical nature of teaching and learning.

Chapter IV - Knowing in Community Joined by the Grace of Great Things

• Community is the essential form of reality: The author argues that community is not just a social construct, but the fundamental nature of reality itself. This is supported by developments in fields like physics and biology, which suggest that the world is fundamentally relational and interdependent, rather than composed of isolated objects.

• Knowing requires being in community with the known: The author rejects the objectivist myth of knowing, which posits a separation between the knower and the known. Instead, the author argues that we can only know reality by being in community with it, by acknowledging our deep interconnectedness with the subjects of our inquiry.

• Truth is an eternal conversation: The author defines truth not as a set of fixed propositions, but as the dynamic, ongoing process of inquiry and dialogue within a community of learners. Truth is not something that can be definitively grasped, but rather an eternal conversation about things that matter.

• Great things call us to know, teach, and learn: The author emphasizes the importance of the "great things" - the subjects, ideas, and phenomena that form the core of educational inquiry. These great things have an inherent dignity and agency that should be respected, and that call us to engage with them with humility, openness, and a sense of the sacred.

• Cultivating a sense of the sacred is essential for education: The author argues that renewing education requires cultivating a sense of the sacred - not in a narrow, religious sense, but in a broader understanding of reality as worthy of deep respect and reverence. This sense of the sacred counteracts the tendency towards banality and disrespect that can pervade educational settings.

Chapter V - Teaching in Community A Subject-Centered Education

• Subject-Centered Classroom: A subject-centered classroom is one where the "great thing" being studied is placed at the center of attention, rather than the teacher or the students. This allows the subject to have a vivid presence and hold both teacher and students accountable.

• Teaching from the Microcosm: This approach involves teaching by presenting small but critical samples of data from a field, rather than trying to "cover the field" with a large amount of information. This allows students to understand the internal logic and patterns of the discipline.

• Holographic Logic: Each discipline has "grains of sand" or microcosms that contain all the information necessary to reconstruct the whole. Teaching from these microcosms can help students develop literacy in the discipline.

• Community of Truth: Good teaching replicates the process of knowing by engaging students in the dynamics of the community of truth, where a great thing is placed at the center and both teacher and students are accountable to it.

• Skill of Questioning: The ability to ask the right kinds of questions, in the right manner, is a key skill in creating a subject-centered classroom and opening up space for learning.

• Deflecting and Reframing: Teachers must learn to deflect comments from individual students back to the group, and to reframe the discussion to reveal trajectories of inquiry and connect scattered pieces of the dialogue.

• Interdependence: For true community to emerge in the classroom, teachers must be willing to abandon their self-protective autonomy and make themselves as dependent on students as students are on them.

Chapter VI - Learning in Community The Conversation of Colleagues

• Privatization of Teaching: Teaching is often a privatized profession, with teachers working in isolation from their colleagues. This privatization prevents teachers from learning from each other and growing in their craft.

• Importance of Collegial Discourse: Good talk about good teaching is essential for teachers to enhance their professional practice and their sense of self as teachers. Such discourse allows teachers to explore the fundamental issues of teaching, beyond just techniques.

• Critical Moments in Teaching: Discussing the critical moments that teachers experience in their classrooms, both positive and negative, can foster honest and open dialogue about the challenges and complexities of teaching.

• Metaphors and Images of Teaching: Exploring metaphors and images that capture the teacher's identity and integrity can provide insights into the self that underlies good teaching.

• Ground Rules for Dialogue: Establishing ground rules for dialogue, such as the "clearness committee" model, can create a safe space for teachers to share vulnerabilities and support each other's growth, rather than offering advice or criticism.

• The Role of Leadership: Institutional leaders play a crucial role in creating opportunities and expectations for good talk about good teaching, by providing excuses and permissions for faculty to engage in such discourse.

• Learning as a Cure for Sadness: The chapter concludes by highlighting the transformative power of learning, echoing Merlyn's advice to Arthur that "learning is the thing" to overcome the challenges and pains of life.

Chapter VII - Divided No More Teaching from a Heart of Hope

• Deciding to Live "Divided No More": The starting point of a movement is when isolated individuals who suffer from a situation that needs changing decide to live "divided no more" - they choose to align their actions with their inner convictions and identity, rather than succumbing to the demands of institutions.

• Communities of Congruence: In the second stage of a movement, people who have chosen the undivided life come together in "communities of congruence" to reinforce their fragile beliefs, develop a shared language and vision, and gain the skills needed to take their values into the larger world.

• Going Public: In the third stage, the movement goes public, exposing its values and vision to critique and challenge from a wider audience. This public dialogue helps the movement refine and strengthen its principles, rather than falling into self-righteousness or delusion.

• Alternative Reward Systems: In the fourth stage, the movement creates alternative reward systems that provide meaning, affirmation, and even material benefits to those who align themselves with the movement's values. This undermines the power of institutions to control behavior through their own reward structures.

• Movements vs. Organizations: Movements and organizations play complementary roles in society - movements represent change and renewal, while organizations represent order and conservation. Effective social change often requires the interplay between the two.

• Overcoming Organizational Gridlock: The movement approach offers an alternative to the despair that can arise from the seeming intractability of institutional resistance to change. By understanding the stages of movement development, educators can find their place in a movement for educational reform.

• Teaching as a Vocation: Teaching is a "front-of-the-bus" thing for many educators who have decided to live divided no more - they teach in ways that honor their deepest values, even when it means risking institutional disapproval or punishment.

Discussion

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