Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Courage to Teach

Today, our group of five discussed The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer. Given today's climate in the heated debate in the political area and endless criticism from the public, at large, we asked ourselves this one question: "How do keep our morale up, be there for a colleague (who may need a boost), and have the will, the desire, the passion to continue to go back to the classroom the next day? The answers we had were twofold: "It's becoming more difficult to do so (educators being honest with one another), but there was also a greater truth: because we love our jobs and we care deeply about our students and their success. Teaching is not a job, it's a career, a profession, and - yes - a "calling." Then, we asked one another, "Do you have alumni come back to your classrooms for visits?", and the answer was (I believe) unanimous. We do. A few of us (myself included) looked at those visits as the motivation to "keep up the good work and hang in there because we must have done something right if the student had thought enough of us to come back. Others thought, "No, once graduated, the alumni belong in their new life with their new responsibilities." For myself, last year has been a very challenging year, and I am so thankful for this program and for Parker's book, because I needed the rejuvenation. The reminder of what brought me into education in the first place. For me, Parker's book is therapeutic, and I look forward to this summer session and what we will continue to discover together. I left our group discussion feeling that "I was not alone."

2 comments:

  1. Right on, Cindy! This whole program has been a much needed breath of fresh air. I am so thankful for this opportunity and getting to learn from all you wonderful human beings!

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  2. I think that's the great thing about Palmer's book--it helps you to feel that you aren't alone. It's been several years now since I've read it, but one of my great takeaways from that book is that "teaching is an act of faith". I try to hang onto that during the difficult days, so hearing something positive from a former student is always a huge encouragement to me. Glad you guys are enjoying the book!

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