Module 4: The Courage to Teach

Colleen Roy

Seton Hill University, SED 765 Curriculum Leadership and Coaching

Professor Mahady

March 28th, 2021

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The Courage to Teach is all about author Parker J. Palmer’s dive into the ins and outs of

teaching both in terms of the educator and the profession of teaching in general. Palmer takes

each chapter in an entirely new direction. Whether it be focusing on the teacher, paradoxes, the

community, or the subject being taught, each word exemplifies a belief or experience of Palmer’s

that can help other educators in an array of areas, including myself. For a brief summary, this

book begins by first digging into the inner workings of an educator, encouraging teachers to look

within themselves at their own logic and biases before blaming external factors. Palmer then

moves into the disconnection seen in the world of education because of a strong fear that

teachers have in terms of seeing students for their true value in the class and worrying that they

are failing in their craft. For the following three chapters the community is examined through the

ideas of knowledge, teaching, and learning. Each one of these chapters touches on how essential

a community is to teachers and students, a community that fosters the connection between

teacher and student. In the final chapter, Palmer shifts his focus to educational reform, tackling

the question of whether or not it is possible to feed upon the best parts of who we are as

educators in order to give a jolt of positive energy to the world of education.

When thinking about the purpose Parker J. Palmer had for writing this book, I

immediately think about the words knowledge and vulnerability. Throughout each chapter,

different stories, fear, and insecurities take shape in a way that allows the reader to feel more at

ease with their struggles. This book can be summed up through a quote mentioned in the opening

chapter, “good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity

and integrity of the teacher” (Palmer, 2017, p. 10). Parker J. Palmer wasn’t trying to force the

idea of a perfect teacher down the readers throat, but instead was offering the idea that every

teacher who is remembered well by their students, has some ability to connect to the students, to
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the material, and most importantly, to themselves. One of my favorite parts of the book, was

when he mentioned an exercise where people at workshops had to introduce themselves by

speaking about a teacher who left a lasting impact on them. I had always assumed that the best

teachers, the ones that each student remembered, were all pretty much the same in their approach

to teaching. My favorite teachers have always been so lively in their approach to teaching,

excited and engaged in the content, as well as always being great listeners. In fact, my favorite

teacher of all time, Mrs. Ladika, was one of the only teachers I had ever met who made everyone

in the room feel special in their own way. So, in essence, the purpose of this book I believe, is to

spark hope in all educators that they have it within their hearts to transform the lives of others

every single day if they are willing to reflect and grow.

Five big ideas when looking at The Courage to Teach would be one, that good teaching

stems from a defined identity. Palmer goes into this in his first chapter, explaining that in order

to be connected to the students and the craft of teaching, teachers must first be vulnerable with

themselves. He says, “unlike many professions, teaching is always done at the dangerous

intersection of personal and public life” (Palmer, 2017, p. 15). Most people are afraid of this

balancing act and either become over personal, or in most cases, retract back into their protective

shell, distancing themselves from their students. The second big idea is that fear isn’t a bad thing.

I have actually experienced this in the classroom, when I completed a problem incorrectly and

was then corrected in front of the entire class by a student. I was absolutely mortified and truly

embarrassed, but after reflecting, it taught me the importance of being vulnerable with my

students. It helped me to explain that everyone makes mistakes and its okay. I believe while this

experience terrified me, it also helped me to build a more genuine connection with my students.

The third big idea is that community is essential for success and involves many different aspects.
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For example, Palmer mentions community in terms of knowing different models and what they

use to thrive. He also talks about the importance of understanding a community when teaching in

it when looking at the teaching in community chapter. Palmer also mentions community in terms

of constantly learning more. Educators should never settle for the information they currently

possess. They should strive to learn more, especially through listening to their community. The

fourth big idea is that teachers have the power to enhance the world of education for the better.

The book speaks a lot about heart and losing heart after being in the profession for long, which is

what I am truthfully scared about. This book helped to remind me that even if I have a bad day,

that doesn’t mean I don’t love teaching. Finally, the fifth big idea is that we must live a life that

is not bound by constraints but is proud of movements. Palmer mentions in his final chapter that

movements have different stages and are a way to challenge the nay-sayers.

Although mentioned above, one other significant idea mentioned in the book that I

connected to myself and to our canvas discussions, was the importance of paradoxes. In chapter

three, Palmer mentions that “holding the tension of paradox so that our students can learn at

deeper levels is among the most difficult demands of most teachers” (Palmer, 2017, p. 86). The

paradox of silence and conversation is where I can most relate. In the classroom subbing, I

always feel incredibly nervous when there is too much silence, feeling as though I should just

answer my own question and move on. In our discussions, we talked about the concept of a

leader and a manager, with a leader inspiring and influencing others. Thinking on this definition

mentioned by author Annie McKee, I realized that I am not a leader if I answer my own question

because all of my students are no longer inspired or influenced to learn, they’re just waiting for

me to tell them. I need to learn that in order to be a leader as a future educator, I need to allow
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for the tension in silence to linger, giving time for the students to process instead of trying to

rush them.

When looking at how this book has connected to our class discussions and assignments, I

immediately think of our first self-assessment assignment because like the book, this assignment

challenged me to dig beyond a surface level introduction of myself. In the self-assessment, I had

to speak on my interests, leadership, communication, emotional intelligence, and technology

skills. In reading The Courage to Teach, I found myself pausing to reflect and trying to imagine

myself in some of the scenarios mentioned. I also connected this book to the four dimensions of

leadership mentioned by Green in Practicing the Art of Leadership, they are “understanding self

and others, understanding the complexity of organizational life, building bridges through

relationships, and engaging in leadership best practices” (Green, 2017, p. 74). Green goes

through the importance of understanding oneself in the first dimension as a way to develop as an

educational leader, just like Palmer does in the first chapter of his book. I love that both talked

about how in order to be a leader, a person must first know how they operate from the inside out.

One quote from the book that helped to clarify the importance of self-guided learning and

exploration in a student-centered classroom says, “such a classroom honors one of the most vital

needs our student have: to be introduced to a world larger than their own experiences and egos, a

world that expands their personal boundaries and enlarges their sense of community” (Palmer,

2017, p. 122). This quote helped me to understand the importance of student-centered classrooms

and that space in a room is okay. There doesn’t need to be posters or tables or other things filling

every empty space. Room to breathe is refreshing to students. This reminds me of how

entertained children are with an empty cardboard box. They can use their imagination to make it

anything they want. I think this had an impact because in schools today there are so many
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teachers who cram knowledge and facts down their students throat, pushing them to do well on

big tests and projects, that they are missing the most important piece of student-centered

learning. They are missing the chance for students to explore on their own. This is something I

hope to never forget as a future educator.

Considering the content of this book, I can greatly apply it to my time in the elementary

school as a current substitute and as a future everyday teacher. I will take time to journal and

reflect on both my good and bad days. I will focus on making my classroom free feeling, giving

students opportunities to explore on their own each and every day. I plan to teach for the rest of

my life, or for as long as possible, so I will take Palmer’s suggestions on how to rekindle my

love for teaching as the years tick on and I face insurmountable challenges. Finally, I will take on

the importance of learning about who I am as a person before stepping into the classroom. There

is so much more of myself that I need to explore before introducing it to my students. This book

made me excited to face challenges as a teacher, hopeful that there is always a way around them.
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References

Green, R. L. (2016). Practicing the art of leadership: A problem-based approach to implementing the

professional standards for educational leaders, 5th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Palmer, P.J. (2017). The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life. 20th

ed. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.