Cultivating Spirit in Teachers

02/17/2015

Cultivating Spirit in Teachers

You have to accept whatever comes, and the only important thing is that you meet it with the best you have to give.
Eleanor Roosevelt

In her Exchange article, "Reimagining Teacher Development: Cultivating Spirit," (January/February 2012), Amelia Dress draws this conclusion about training teachers:

"To cultivate the spirit of a teacher is a challenge because it requires a shift in our thinking. No longer is the goal simply technical mastery, but an inner quality that resists definition. To adopt this mindset means taking seriously the inner life of a teacher, even putting it ahead of other attributes and skill sets. Traditional training methods and requirements are important; certainly teachers need skills and these can be enhanced by having a variety of techniques at their fingertips. We cannot, however, reduce the effectiveness of a teacher purely to her knowledge. As researchers and trainers Sam Intrator and Robert Kunzman have asserted, 'The way to truly increase teachers' capacities and skills is to engage their souls.' Knowing that our profession is too frequently one of high demands and low pay, we can strive to create an environment where the heart and soul of our teachers are fed. By nurturing teachers' purpose, creativity, and wonder, we can facilitate their vitality and the educational excellence they bring to the classroom."

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