The Heart of a Teacher: Identity and Integrity in Teaching - Just sharing

In the introduction of "The Courage to Teach" Palmer (1998)said that the book is for teachers who have good days and bad days, and whose bad days bring the suffering that comes only from something one loves. It is quite absurd because who does not experience bad days? If there in none, then he or she is not teaching at all.

I believe that the most important aspect of a teacher is knowing himself or herself first before teaching. Palmer(p.3) stated that good teaching requires self knowledge: it is the secret hidden in plain sight. That is true because if we teach who we are, then it is necessary that we know our inner self first. For me, knowing my inner self is working for the improvement of my human and spiritual life. It means that I need to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in teaching and also to acquire virtues. This is for me the identity and integrity in teaching. Acquiring all these is not easy and is a lifelong process. However, being aware,desiring and trying each day to learn these things is already a big improvement. Our founder St. Dominic would tell all his brethren before preaching: to pray and contemplate first and share to others the fruits of contemplation. As a teacher, we cannot teach what we do not know as well as we cannot give what we do not have.

In my 15 years of teaching, I had my bad days and good days. One example is my struggle to understand and accept some of my students and also some of my colleagues. Yet there is something within me that tells me to love teaching. Knowing who we are, reflecting what we do, reveal what is within our hearts as a teacher. I am just praying each day that God will always inflame my heart with the passion to teach.