Parker Palmer

In A Spirituality of Character Formation, Ribera presented four affirmations to frame the
discussion about character education: 1) Character formation is the responsibility of the home,
the church, and the state, 2) Character formation is a spiritual endeavor, 3) Character formation
addresses standards, motives, and ends, and 4) Character formation makes room for ambiguity,
tension, and paradox. In the course of the discussion Ribera interacted with several prominent
voices in the field of character education, namely Alfie Kohn, David Purpel, and Glenn Tinder.
In addition, Ribera made use of a triadic framework of prophet, priest, and king, and integrated
the ethical work of thinkers like: C. S. Lewis, Cornelius Van Til, and Louis P. Pojman.

Following Parker Palmer's statement "we teach who we are", this paper proposes that teacher education is primarily about getting to know the self that teaches. I describe a process of reflective questions I apply towards bringing forth teacher's familiarity with the "self" that they teach. I then describe a mindful standing practice with which I open courses at the university in teacher education programs.

The efforts in the Christian school to effectively integrate faith and learning lead one to consider foundational theories of knowledge. Defining knowledge raises questions about the knower and the known, the relationship between experience and knowledge, and the certainty of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature as it relates to theistic (specifically Christian) and non-theistic epistemologies and their impact on the integration of faith and learning. Kant, Pearson, Russell, and Dewey presented theories that attempted to ensure objective knowledge. Polanyi, Gill, and Palmer supported the view that knowing is always personal. Polanyi’s theory of tacit knowing was especially important. The modern debate has roots in ancient theological formulas regarding the relationship between faith and reason. Kuyper, Bavinck, and Van Til presented a revelational epistemology founded in the Dutch Reformed tradition. Finally, the author examined a model of integration based on these ideas and discussed the implications.

The approach to teaching discussed here engages with literary texts as part of a rhizome of people, places, and other texts. Viewing literary texts as part of a rhizome facilitates an engagement with texts such as letters, diaries, and life writing that fall outside the more usual literary genres. The emphasis on place as part of the rhizome is developed through field trips to locations connected with the texts, such as museums, landscapes, and archives, which can also help deepen students' relationship with the subject. Using creative writing to respond to the rhizome enables students to learn through the activity of writing, while simultaneously adding their own contribution to the rhizome. This approach can enrich students' understanding of a subject, and help build a relationship with it in the manner of Parker Palmer's idea of a circle of truth. The chapter describes how this approach has been used on a course on the Dymock Poets, whose heterogeneous output and existing rhizome of related texts make it particularly appropriate. Nonetheless, this approach can be applied in other contexts, and the chapter also describes how it has been used on a course that focuses on 19th century American literature.

This chapter presents a how-to guide for creating graduate-level programming designed to help inservice teachers solve problems of practice specific to their classrooms. The program discussed in this chapter is cohort-based, constructivist-informed, and action-research centered. The program aims to help inservice teachers "do" research as a form of teacher-leader development. The program is designed "for teachers, by teachers" who want to stay in the classroom.

In this paper, I will use personal narrative to explore how a teacher identity can be reformed through an awakening to doubt and hope. I will interpret the personal narrative using Ciuffetelli Parker’s (2014) 3R framework. This analysis reveals how my professional identity has shifted due shifts in my life as a student, a parent, husband and teacher. The overall analysis will be grounded in Parker Palmer’s (1998) theory of identity as integration and Paulo Freire’s (1970 )discussion on critical pedagogy, praxis and conscientization. I will end with a new model by which others can interpret and apply their own awakened moments, leading to recommendations for professional development strategy and further testing of the model.

This is the third part of the introduction to the larger project: Truth and Liberation, published on Huffington Post (Oct. 8, 2016): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/truth-and-liberation-12-but-how-do-we-proceed_us_57f875b5e4b0b665ad81803e?

This is my part of a panel.

Dominant and Marginalized Narratives in Music Education: Intersections of Religion, Spirituality, and Sexual/Gender Diversity in the Music Classroom, LGBTQ Studies & Music Education III, Urbana, IL. Facilitator: Karin Hendricks. Respondents: June Boyce-Tillman, Cantor Evan Kent, Kerri Mesner, Daniel J. Shevock, and Heidi Weatherford. May 19, 2016.