I first came across the work of Parker J Palmer (1939-present) when I was loaned a copy of his book The Courage to Teach. It’s a wonderful read, and it led me to track down some insights from his wider writings. We’ll enjoy them over the next few weeks. Palmer, a Quaker, is well known for his work on education, social change, vocation and spirituality
- Violence is what happens when we don’t know what else to do with our suffering – Parker J Palmer
- Take everything that is bright and beautiful in you and introduce it to the shadow side of yourself. Let your altruism meet your egotism, let your generosity meet your greed, let your joy meet your grief… when you are able to say, “I am all of the above, my shadow as well as my light,” the shadow’s power is put in service of the good – Parker J Palmer
- Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique. Good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher – Parker J Palmer
- Wholeness does not mean perfection; it means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life – Parker J Palmer
As always, nice chatting…
Likewise Brian, ‘The Courage to Teach’ was extremely influential in my teaching career. Palmer shone a light on the very heart of teaching – you cannot teach without bringing yourself to the process. I realized that this is why teaching is both so difficult and so rewarding. He is an excellent writer and I too would highly recommend him.