Parker Palmer on the Heart of a Teacher
What is at the core of an exceptional teacher? Is it innate skills? In-depth knowledge? Infinite wisdom? Parker Palmer’s book, “The Courage to Teach,” proposes a different philosophy: the foundation for good teaching is built upon the identity and integrity of the teacher. This means that in order to teach well, teachers must have the courage to know themselves, and show themselves, in the classroom. “Good teachers are authentically present in the classroom and are able to weave a complex web of connections between themselves, their subjects, and their students, helping their students weave a world for themselves.” It’s an art, rather than a science, a concept that’s often reversed in today’s teaching methods. In this adaptation from the book’s first chapter, Parker introduces us to the inner landscape of a teacher’s life, a necessary first step in exploring what is at the heart of a teacher. { read more }
Be The Change
Exceptional teachers can also be found outside the classroom. Think of someone who taught you an important lesson in life and thank them. |
Editor’s note: Our ability to practice kindness with others is often related to our sense of humility. Humility derives from the Latin word "humus" or “from the earth.” In the spiritual sense, it means coming down to the earth, out of our thoughts and ego and recognizing the relationship of our small self to the vastness of the universe and to all other beings. Tim McGraw expressed the importance of these two virtues best in this powerful song, 
Sangha of Auspicious Companions 