The Tao of Teaching: Part 9
This article is part of a series of writings on Greta Nagel’s book The Tao of Teaching: The Ageless Wisdom of Taoism and the Art of Teaching. The goal of this series is to promote discourse on topics related to teaching, classroom management, student-centered learning and other progressive educational methods. Utilizing the enlightenment and wisdom offered in this book as an impetus and guide, I will critically reflect on my own teaching practices and connect my own experiences to the anecdotes and examples provided by Nagel. You can read Part 8 of this series here.
Check out The Tao of Teaching here.
Learn more about Greta Nagel here.
Obey Your Instincts
Wise teachers develop insight and cultivate inner knowledge. It is important to set aside time to reflect on your practices in order to ensure that you are on the proper path. Nagel points out that reflection does not require traveling any great distance. Moments of clarity and revelation can occur right in your classroom, home or office. Nagel advises:
“Learn to spend time thinking instead of ‘running around.’”
Any student of instructional design should remember that evaluation of a program or course should be a continuous and ongoing process. By constantly and critically reflecting on practices and methods that you put to use in your classrooms or learning environments, you can ensure that the best practices for each unique situation evolve into implementation. This includes evaluating major objectives and small daily instances. Nagel is careful to remind us of the importance of the small details and occurences.
The Tao is in the details. — The Tao of Teaching
Don’t overlook the small things. Small things often hold great importance and, particularly in the classroom, can provide big opportunities for learning.
Paying attention to and reflecting on everything that is occurring in the learning environment can be emotional at times. Remember that in Part 8 of this series, the Tao and Nagel reminded us to maintain a cool and disciplined atmosphere within your self as well as in the classroom. Trust your feelings but also examine and evaluate them carefully. Connect with your students so that you can develop deeper intuition about them. Use this to guide you when you are faced with situations calling for discipline. Learn to weigh your intuition with circumstantial evidence. What may seem like a clear and simple situation may run deeper than the surface. Expect students to surprise you and challenge your expectations.
Remember that the Tao is not always straightforward. Following the Tao is not simply like acquiring information and it does not occur in the same way. When one wishes to increase his or her knowledge of a topic, he or she might do this through increased effort to gather, interpret and retain more knowledge. Nagel advises us:
“Growing in the Tao means decreased effort. The wise teacher learns to work in effortless ways, doing things that come without stress.”
On the path of the Tao, we must learn to utilize our intuition through careful reflection to reduce the amount of effort and stress involved in our daily tasks. Paying attention to small things, listening to your inner self and staying calm will keep you on this path.
Following the Tao may not always be perceived in positive ways by peers, learners or others involved in the learning process. People may criticize your methods or classroom but it is important not to let outside forces dictate too much of your work. Make decisions based on your expertise. Always ensure that your students will be the ones to benefit from your decisions. They will let you know.
The Way is a powerful force. If it did not draw criticism it would not be the Way. — The Tao of Teaching
At times your methods could be at odds with directives or orders imposed by superiors or administrative forces. Use your own discretion and question doing things harmful to the Tao in your classroom. Growth and success occur only when the ideas of leaders and authority conform to the laws of nature; the Tao.
Invest in those activities that foster real learning and which reap the most beneficial results. — The Tao of Teaching
Nagel also recommends striving for moderation in the classroom and making use of the resources and abilities available in the classroom. By avoiding interference, making careful, limited suggestions and allowing students to make their own choices in a relaxed environment, Nagel says that educators can increase enjoyment and efficiency in the learning environment.
Nagel advises pairing or grouping students of various proficiency to allow higher level students to utilize their talents and assist lower level students. I have tried this technique with varied results in my own classrooms. Often it is very effective. Other times it has caused problems and created barries to learning. As with any method of learning or activity, reflection and assessment is important to ensure it is best in the given situation.
Although we may experience different results with various practices, I agree with Nagel’s general point here. Each of us has certain resources available to us. While it is important to advocate for greater access and work for creating better opportunities, we must be able to recognize when something is not possible at that time and invest our effort in what is possible. We should work to use what is at hand rather than exerting unnecessary effort to search for something that is out of our grasp. Nagel and the Tao say it much more eloquently:
Value what exists by not striving for what does not exist. — The Tao of Teaching
…next time in The Tao of Teaching: The Way Cannot Be Mastered
