The Courage to Teach

Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life

By: Parker J. Palmer

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

This book builds on a simple premise: good teaching cannot be reduced to technique but is rooted in the identity and integrity of the teacher. Good teaching takes myriad forms but good teachers share one trait: they are authentically present in the classroom, in community with their students and their subject. They possess "a capacity for connectedness" 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. Connections made by good teachers are held not in their methods but in their hearts - the place where intellect, emotion, spirit, and will converge in the human self - when we choose to live authentic lives.

©2007 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A profoundly moving, utterly passionate, and inspired articulation of the call to, and the pain and joy of, teaching. It is must reading for any and every teacher, at any level." (Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are)
"Evokes the heart of what teachers really do, and does so in a vivid, compelling, and soulful way." (Robert Coles, Harvard University)

Food for Thought

I enjoyed this book. Palmer has lots of ideas and the book is kind of a reflective work on his career. The book ends with a call to action but fortunately it is relatively short. I like most of his ideas and will listen to this book again. Palmer gives a lot of food for thought and is easy to listen to, excellent narration.

Informative and Reflective

If you could sum up The Courage to Teach in three words, what would they be?

Encouraging, Uplifting, and Connecting

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Courage to Teach?

Everyone has the "horror student" moments. Parker Palmer's "horror student" story was shared in a particularly heartfelt and honest way.

Which character – as performed by Stefan Rudnicki – was your favorite?

Entire story told in a clear and comforting tone and pace.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The overall idea that art of teaching starts within.
This is what I need to keep reminding myself of when I am particularly challenged by students, parents, colleagues or administration.

teacher must have

If you teach in any capacity you need to hear this. The heart and the spirit is soundly defended with emphasis on the inner life of the teacher.

a must read for all teachers

I love every minute of this soul searching book. The questions asked are tough and multi-dimensional; the answers we must find are just as wrenchingly important.

inspiration

i will bring Truth to my teaching/engagement with administrative impoverishment. this author has real hope.

Beautiful insights about a fulfilling career

I had to pause and re-listen to many sections of this book in an attempt to grapple with what the author is challenging us to consider. There are beautiful insights throughout. Some of his gripes are specific to the author and even dated, but this is a very valuable text for those in education.

A must for new educators!

Where does The Courage to Teach rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was one of few audio books I have ever owned, however it has really set the bar quit high. I feel as though the narrator was not quite what I expected, but this did not hamper my ability to draw from the text's content.

Who was your favorite character and why?

No characters pre-say but the content and concepts were very helpful as a novice educator.

Have you listened to any of Stefan Rudnicki’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I have not. His voice did not seem to fit as well as I would have liked it to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was fascinated by how personal the author made teaching and how this transcended into the bigger picture of the education system. I was very please with the book as a whole and look forward to referencing it in the future.

Powerful and Practical

This book was a breath of fresh air as it legitimized the value of the inner life as the springboard for all that we do, not only as educators but as people in general.

A good reflection for teachers

I just discovered this book been a teacher for over 20 years.
Excellent topic the “wholehearted teacher”
I wish he had broaden the perspective by also looking at the confluente perspective of education and not only spirituality.
Love is quotes and will be buying the paper book!
Thank you.

Great content. Annoying performance

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I loved the content of this book. It was informative and motivational. For me, it was required reading for a graduate course in leadership. It contained profound concepts about how to see yourself as an education and leader. The audience should not be limited to teachers or those who work in education. The audio version of this was problematic, however because I felt, quite often, like the playback was just a bit too slow. The reader who voiced the audio version has a very deep voice and speaks just a little too slowly. It lulled me into sleep quite a few times, and I strongly believe it was the performance, not the content. I could read the text in the book and remain quite engaged.

Would you be willing to try another one of Stefan Rudnicki’s performances?

No. Probably not.