More Things in Heaven and Earth

Teaching is not an activity that necessarily causes learning. Nor is learning always the result of having been taught by someone or something. So, what is teaching—and more specifically—what is good teaching? Philogia Prima draws on her experiences as a teacher to answer those questions—while also sharing her observations about academics as the only Jew in a Catholic high school. She explains that teaching is not always a means of communicating knowledge about something or someone external to either teacher or students. But having the confidence to function as a teacher should be the product of a teacher’s knowledge and belief—call it faith—in the value of whatever is being taught. If a teacher is neither knowledgeable nor aware of what is lacking, confidence is not there, and students can sense its absence. Moreover, if a teacher never says, “I don’t know,” he or she is doing students a disservice. Students need to be reminded that learning is a process that sometimes emanates from, but just as often, includes the teacher. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, administrator or someone else trying to help students learn, you’ll find valuable insights in More Things in Heaven and Earth.