Customer Reviews

To Know as We Are Known: Education as a Spiritual Journey

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This book appears to be a teacher-oriented book, but it is in fact a book for those interested in knowing themselves better, which then is integrated into their teaching. Palmer deals with life seen through the eyes of truth, which includes teaching. This book not only helped my teaching, but also my faith, my knowledge of myself, and how to really interact with others. This book has reshaped how I think about life and teaching. Good teaching comes from our personal development, and you cannot separate them in any way.

I have long been a fan of Parker Palmer, from his work on teaching and vocation to his work on spirituality - his volume 'Let Your Life Speak' is one of my regular 're-reads'; his book 'The Courage to Teach' is also an important piece of my personal vocational discernment. This book is a 'new event' in my life; originally assigned as part of a class, it has already become part of my 'necessary' books.

I recognise myself in some of the pages here, both as a teacher and as a student. Palmer combines ideas from theories of education with ideas from theology, spirituality and vocational discernment. I do sense myself falling into the 'must get an A' mode in many of my classes; Palmer writes that this is fairly typical of the Western intellectual paradigm. He draws an example from the film 'The Day After Trinity', about the makers of the first atomic weapons, and how they were goal-oriented to such an extent that they didn't take time to reflect on the greater ramifications of their work - the work itself and progress toward the goal (here an 'A' constituted a workable, fission bomb) was all that mattered. One of the downsides of letting to part of the educational experience go in favour of a less target-oriented, graded approach (not really addressed in his writing) is that the rest of the world does look to this - will others interpret the 'C' on my transcript from my undergraduate days and realise as I did that that particular class was more valuable to me than any other?

Palmer states that our quest for knowledge derives from two sources, curiosity and control. Palmer argues another source, however, beyond these two, and that is love. 'This love is not a soft and sentimental virtue, not a fuzzy feeling of romance.' It is one that incorporates curiosity and control aspects, but serves as a deeper connection to the world in which we live. Palmer quotes Thomas Merton, who stated that the purpose of education is relation to the world in authentic and spontaneous ways.

Just as relation is important for education, knowledge and truth are also held by Palmer to be communal in nature. Palmer argues against various 'objective' models that often fall short of the mark; there is room for the individual and the communal in his formulation, but this is something that must faithfully interact in relationship with each aspect and with each other. Palmer argues against simple objectivism (telling the world what it is) and simple subjectivism (listening to no one but ourselves), and calls for obedience - an admittedly unpopular word, Palmer acknowledges. Obedience has roots in understanding and in listening; taken from this angle (and realizing that obedience is not a blind virtue here, but rather a monastic virtue such as the Benedictine vows of obedience to authority, which is again an authority different from typical forms in the world).

Palmer urges teachers to be conscious of their styles and the kind of learning space they create. He states that there are three characteristics of learning space that must be attended to - openness, boundaries, and hospitality. Openness means removing barriers to learning, be they physical, psychological, or spiritual. Boundaries, however, are important; boundaries should not be barriers, but should serve to keep things on track and relevant. Hospitality is vital, and an element we've let fall away in the modern world in many respects - how welcome are new ideas? New people? New methods? Palmer states that hospitality is both an ethical and epistemological virtue.

Palmer's final chapter is crucial for those who will be teachers; those with good professional technique can only be made more effective by the kind of personal development and reflection that comes from the development of practices that Palmer derives from spiritual practices in the long history of Christianity and other religions. Humility, discipline, practicing silence and solitude - these things can 'recharge the batteries', so to speak, of any teacher.

While some critics have stated that Palmer's ideas of teaching and formation are really only applicable for liberal arts or religious-themed instructors/instruction, I would differ with them. I once had an astronomy professor and a mathematics professor, each of whom would draw the philosophy, history and deeper meanings of their subjects in at every level so that their lectures and conversations were not simple mechanical presentations. I once heard of an organic chemistry professor who began the semester by saying, 'this semester, we are going to explore the psychology of Carbon'. What a wonderful way to present the subject! These people got it - there was great love in their teaching and their care for their material, and it showed.

Palmer's book, ostensibly about education and learning, contains truths that call one to introspection regarding the whole of life. The book has definitely influenced me to change the objective and methods of my teaching. But its value in my personal life cannot be measured. Palmer's teaching regarding the communal nature of truth and the necessity of obedience to that which is learned forces deep introspection. What words of knowledge have I let fall to the ground in my search for the next great idea or intellectual stimulant? Introspection on this matter brings me to understand that entering troth with knowledge frees me to live simply, in community with mankind. Dave

Parker Palmer has created a truly outstanding work with To Know as We Are Known. This work explores the nature of truth, and challenges readers to examine and transform the ways they teach and learn
Palmer's model centers on the premise that truth is neither objective (an object can be manipulated, abused, and co-opted for use to whatever ends we so desire, we do not bear the kind of love that requires responsibility toward objects) nor subjective (subjectivism is the decision to listen only to ourselves in the search for truth, it concedes diversity without calling into dialogue.) Truth is relational. Real truth can only be found in an open willingness to both search out and listen in respect (borne out of non-selfish love) to the subject being learned, the students being taught, and to the future we are creating together.
In order to illustrate the objectivist approach to knowledge, he uses the example of the atomic bomb. He quotes Robert Oppenheimer as saying "The physicists have known sin." The objective way treats knowledge as something self-contained, and takes no responsibility for the outcomes of research or development. He lets the fruits of this way, the example of Hiroshima, stand in stark contrast to a story about 4th century wandering mystics and hermits (the Desert Fathers and Mothers.)
The story is about Abba (Father) Felix, and a group of monks who sought him out for his wisdom. They begged him to give them a word of truth. He was silent for a long time, and then explained that God had withdrawn words of truth from old men, because those who seek them out had no intention of following the truth they received with their lives. The brothers then realized their own intentions and groaned "Pray for us Abba Felix!"
In this example, which becomes a central illustration throughout the book, Abba Felix is not treating truth (in this case religious truth) as an object which he possesses and can dispense to whomever he pleases. Instead, he initiates a relationship with the students, assessing their need- which is not platitudes or gems of wisdom, but a wake-up call- and gives them truth in love that transforms their minds instead of just adding to their store of objective knowledge bits. Palmer describes how this method is applicable not only to religious truth but to all subjects; from treating historical literary figures as friends whose voices need to be listened for in their work, to emphasizing the responsibility to community and future with which scientists need to go about their research.
The style of writing can be a bit complicated at first. This is hardly surprising, as Palmer tells us he has spent his early career writing for Academia. It is, however, well worth the minor effort needed to adjust to the style. Another weakness of this work is the practical application suggestions, Palmer spends only two chapters on them and at that point the book gets less engaging.
Overall, these problems are vastly overshaddowed by the worth of this book. It is transformational, and I wish everyone would read, understand, and be open to its message.

What I carried away from this short book is this: Teacher's need to create a culture in their classrooms that involves these three things, Openness, Boundaries, and Hospitality. Meditating on these three elements gives me motivation to strive to achieve a balance in my own teaching using these elements, creating volume with these three dimensions. Openness allows for freedom to pursue ideas and skills with curiosity and creativity; Boundaries allows for discipline and focus in achieving educational goals, and Hospitality allows for the respect and responsibility that must be at the heart of all human endeavors to appear and flourish.

A little tip, though: After the first chapter, for me, the book really took off. At first, I felt that he was somewhat vague and inspecific in what he wanted to write about, but thereafter, he filled each chapter with meditative, thoughtful, yet practical talk about significant teaching goals and practices.

I think reading Palmer on Education is akin to reading Rollo May on Psychology. You will be a better person at the end of your reading.

This book helped me to deepen my understanding of education as learning rather than mere schooling. Palmer's voice needs to be heard by many now crusading for education reform if schools are to live up to their potential for spiritual transformation and cultural renewal. In my experience, authentic learning, and therefore education, is a kind of spiritual formation from a postmodern perspective. This essential aspect of schooling is in danger of being lost amidst the clamor from religious and professional educators and evangelists who are proponents of the merely conventional or sectarian.

In a time when the morale of the teaching profession in most countries is at an all time low, Palmer's book stand out as a beacon to warn and draw our attention to what education is truly about. The story about Abba Felix and that there are `no more words nowadays' stands at the heart of this book. In this short story about a Desert Father, Palmer has developed a spirituality of education in which obedience to God's words will lead to spiritual formation of the teacher and the student.

First, Palmer rightly pointed out that objectivism and the pursuit of knowledge without reflection is dangerous. His illustration with the Manhattan project is instructive. However, he should have included the societal, economic and cultural influences in his argument. One of the problems with education today is that instead of being a process of `reunification and reconstruction of broken selves and world', it became a means to obtaining `paper'qualifications. Education has been hijacked to be an instrument in which students can achieve economic success and teachers became clogs in the machine that produce thousands of graduates annually who are only skilled in passing examinations.

Second, he mentioned `a learning space' as an antidote to `objectivist' teaching methods. This learning space has openness, boundaries and hospitality. I wonder how Palmer would translate that into an Asian context. Openness, boundaries and hospitality will be difficult in a culture of shame (`saving face') and hierarchal respect for elders, social ranks and qualifications.

Finally, `transformation of teaching must begin in the transformed heart of the teacher'. Palmer listed the disciplines of studying widely, silence, solitude and prayer as important in bringing about this transformation. However Palmer painted a bland picture of a `generic' God as the focus of these disciplines. I would that he be more Trinitarian in his approach.

This book is an excellent guide for the person interested in teaching AND learning. Though Palmer takes an unabashedly Christian viewpoint in developing his approach to pedagogy, the reader need not subscribe to that or any other inflationary metaphysical framework. His critique of "modern" education is consistent in many ways with that of postmodernism and other critical perspectives. Though the author speaks with a communitarian voice (which carries with it other assumptions about the organization of the life-world with which one may not agree), Palmer sketches a new (and needed) subjectivity for the teacher/learner. (The book makes an interesting addition to any reading regime concerned with social epistemology.)

Parker does a great job in this book convincing the reader that there is a better way to know in this world than how we claim to know. Using examples from secular and religious history, as well as his own experiences, Parker shows that the act of knowing should be obedience to personal truth, not digesting objective facts.

The hardest part about this book was getting into it. It is to long, but I had a hard time figuring out what his goal was in the book. The first three chapters show why our current perception of knowledge is wrong. Chapter 4 is the thesis, and the rest of the book seeks to explain how one could put this new mindset to use. Reading through the introduction first is a must if you want to really understand the book.

I liked Parker's writing style, especially his use of a variety of examples. The first four chapters were good, but the application of the new mindset was somewhat lacking. I am not sure how I would go about teaching students to be obedient to the truth, but I know that I should.

Teachers of any kind, students in any field, and people feeling arrogant in their knowledge should read this book. It will not tell you exactly how to change, but I will start you thinking that change is needed.

In my various education systems, I have had numerous experiences, being mostly good but sometimes bad. There were teachers who helped me feel safe to ask questions and question boundaries, and there were teachers who made me afraid to be creative and convinced me that giving the objective right answers was what was most important. Which atmosphere served me better? Both atmospheres taught me lessons for outside the classroom and both have proved to useful in life. Palmer's book affirms those that seek truth yet who not conform to the educational system that is typical in today's system. Palmer talks about education as a spiritual journey. Although his claims to be Christian, he is neither dogmatic nor unscientific. Some critics have stated that Palmer's ideas of teaching and formation are really only applicable for liberal arts and/or religious instruction but I would differ with them. It simply takes a little creativity and the love Palmer talks about (mentioned below) to make it work in other settings as well.

In the book Palmer explains the danger of the one-sided views of objectivism and subjectivism. Just as relation is important for education, knowledge and truth are also held by Palmer to be communal in nature. Palmer argues against various 'objective' models that often fall short of the mark; there is room for the individual and the communal in his formulation, but this is something that must faithfully interact in relationship with each aspect and with each other. Palmer argues against simple objectivism (telling the world what it is) and simple subjectivism (listening to no one but ourselves).

I often feel myself falling into the 'must get an A' mode in my classes; Palmer writes that this is fairly typical of the Western intellectual paradigm. Palmer states that our quest for knowledge derives from two sources, curiosity and control. Palmer argues another source, however, beyond these two, and that is love. 'This love is not a soft and sentimental virtue, not a fuzzy feeling of romance.' It is one that incorporates curiosity and control aspects, but serves as a deeper connection to the world in which we live. If you have ever been frustrated with the "it's all about the grades" view of education, then this book is definitely a must-read. However, be warned, if you truly engage this book in dialogue, be prepared to be challenged and allow yourself to grow from the experience.