Sense of proportion -- i.e. teaching from grace

The climb to grace

I have something to ask of you. As soon as you have finished reading this paragraph, sit comfortably. You might want to close your eyes too. Breathe normally but count as you go. You could say something like, "one in, one out; two in, two out; three in..." and so on. Counting to ten should suffice but as you do pay attention to where your mind wants to go. Just observe without judgement. And if you should lose count, start again without judgment too. This is not a test. Go on, I'll wait.

Now, let me tell you a story:

"The climb was long. The day was hot. Tom had thought ahead and had frozen his water bottle, so his water would stay cold. But once he drank what had melted, he was left with a small chunk of ice rattling in a plastic bottle.

That was when Bill, another climber, who hadn't thought ahead, asked Tom to share his ice. Bill had plenty of water, but it was hot from their climb in the sun. Tom was glad to share his ice, and tried to break the chunk up so he could ice chips into Bill's bottle. After a long frustration, it occured to Tom to let Bill pour his hot water over the ice and to then let Bill drink from his bottle.

This small moment changed Tom's life(...) as he came back down into the world, he understood the three mysteries of sharing: First, if there is time, let the cold things thaw. But if there is no time, let the warm things in, and only when necessary, break the hard things remaining and pray like hell you can pass them."

— Mark Nepo, The book of Awakening, 2011

Nepo's story, which is also an allegory for joy, is my personal definition of Grace: the delicate state of balance between three virtues — contemplation, compassion, and selflessness (let the cold thing thaw, let the warm things in, break the hard things inside). It is that elusive state but also the art of balancing the three with the world and oneself. And what he calls sharing is teaching in my dictionary. Isn't it true that the greatest teachers were often the patient, compassionate, selfless heroes who showed up in our lives at the right time and place?

Contemplation

"An empty soul has no room, while a full one can take it all. Go figure." — Antonio Porchia  *Bilingual reading 

One way to understand contemplation as used in Eastern philosophies is as "loving patience." I know that one of the greatest challenges I've faced in teaching has been learning how to wait. To allow things to settle and ideas to take shape. To wait and see. And this has surely gone hand in hand with growing older and learning to wait in life as well. How long does it take, for instance, for relationships to blossom with students and colleagues? In spite of their name, "ice-breakers" do little to shatter first impressions and deep-seated reservations.

The story of Tom beautifully illustrates how the most natural way is the gentle way. I wonder what you experienced with the breathing exercise before. Did anything change about how you felt, how you sat on the chair, how you read Lepo's story? It is my hope that it allowed you to relax slightly, at the very least, and to feel more open.

These mindfulness exercises are slowly being incorporated into our classrooms, and for good reason. They help learners to deal with stress and also allow them to delve to a much deeper level. A spiritual level. The question of why this should concern teachers is an interesting one. I can only begin to answer it here as it invites long reflection, but I would say that teaching-learning relationships offer the perfect space to model meditative living; which is to say contemplative, compassionate, selfless living. And beyond that, contemplative pedagogies (Blinne, 2014) can profoundly affect the quality and depth of our practice too by making way for personal and also social transformation.

They are not limited to keeping things simple in planning lessons, and giving students time rather than rushing them through the steps, and waiting in silence as they muster an explanation for what they think or what they have done. True patience is an act of profound kindness and humility.

Consider how long language acquisition takes and what it asks the student to do. My Spanish students can expect to see progress on a very small scale over a month or a term, all the while having to read, listen, speak and write in a code they can barely understand; and having to expose themselves to ridicule and fear for making mistake after mistake. This alone is bound to make students experience a great deal of fear and stress. Being aware of this, it makes sense to incorporate mindful pedagogies to foster self-awareness and manage stress. Playful approaches, meditative reading through lectio divina, and creative outlets promote wellbeing and also aid learning new language by giving it emotional weight. 

Prayer for self-efficacy 1. Imagine the effect of drops on water over a rock as time passes. I meditate on how learning has seeped into my life over the years and what a gift it is to have lived to appreciate it.

Compassion

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves" — Rainer Maria Rilke

The second facet of Grace is the ability to remain open and receptive. To live and watch and learn without passing judgment; accepting others unreservedly. This notion, which is rooted for me in the Buddhist idea of compassion, could better be defined as the realisation of how, beyond appearances, everything and everyone is connected. In becoming aware of this connection we are released of our fears and able to commune with one another in the deepest, most transformative way.

Compassion has the potential to change our entire practice, from relationships to assessment, but is truly essential for classroom management. Challenging behaviour is certain to awaken one’s fears, which leads to clouded judgement of why students behave poorly, or seem disengaged, or are reactive. And in turn, “judgments create barriers to compassionate action.” (Kernochan, 2007, p.5) But compassion makes for effective discipline only when used with dialogical and restorative practices. Even if lines must be drawn or rules be recalled, asking simple questions and being ready to listen is an empathetic and respectful way to open a dialogue with someone who could be otherwise feeling isolated and in pain. Even if the student is not able to reflect spontaneously on his or her behaviour, one can at least put informed measures in place. This is always better than simply admonishing punishments reactively only to make matters worse. 

Moreover, these pedagogies are important for lasting changes to take place beyond our classrooms. To aim at really understanding my student's point of view, which is bound to be different from mine because of the cultural, social, and generational gaps separating us; and to come to terms with the challenges we are and will be facing as a result of Covid-19. 

Prayer for self-efficacy 2. Imagine the branches of a tree flayed by rain and wind; at first, naked then green with brand new shoots. I meditate on how much deeper my roots become as I'm released of my fears by accepting everything and everyone.

Selflessness

"For the raindrop, joy is entering the river." — Sufi prophet and poet, Ghalib.

It is no accident that Mark Nepo should use the image of water. Like the real element, it is possible for our own identity as teachers to harden into a fixed idea, or to evaporate from fear and self-doubt. His allegory invites us to remain fluid. Not only so that we may adapt better and continue to learn, but so that we may fulfill the ulterior purpose of living: oneness.

Like the raindrop, which becomes undifferentiated from the ocean as it falls, we have at some point been a part of something greater. We will again join that something once the organic matter in us has given to the Earth.

Both in teaching practice and in life, selflesness is the most challenging virtue. The most concrete use I can offer is in how to approach the feelings of failure that can constantly crop up as you teach. I have often joked with friends that the best teachers have made an art of failing. Every small part of our practice can and certainly will lead to experiencing failure of some kind. As I explored in my post about the Pivot survey, it is in our willingness to fail often and gracefully that we can thrive as teachers. But this is provided that we can shed our ego of the preconceptions about what our practice should look like.

Ultimately, from constantly challenging my idea of self  the core of my teaching can truly transform. I can break the chunks that remain solid within me and be more fluid. As I experience the joy of letting go, and of constantly seeking creative solutions for old problems, and reaching out to others, and searching for more, my practice can go beyond being a job or a calling and become “love made visible” as the great Khalil Gibran once said.

Prayer for self-efficacy 3. Imagine a river flowing down the mountain, sometimes roaring, sometimes calm, but always destined for the sea. I meditate on the undercurrent of joy that carries me through difficulties and the ulterior gains of my profession.

Living in Grace

“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” — Zen proverb

Zen stories and sayings like this one are keen to point out that we cannot attain satori (awakening, enlightenment, grace), but only experience it briefly through constant practice. And even if breathing exercises on a comfy cushion help to connect with that source albeit briefly; true mindful living — and mindful teaching — implies full attention to even the most menial tasks. Especially to menial tasks. Not with resignation but with joyful acceptance.

I find that uplifting.

Rather than believe that spiritual transcendence lies beyond the mundane, it can be healing and liberating to recognise it within our grasp. Hiding in every single thing we do, in every being around us and in every exchange; permeating every day. By modelling self-awareness in facing the suffering and injustice of the world, or the difficulties of one’s circumstances, we teachers could also model ways to transcend them. Would that translate into students taking share of the world more gently, and accepting others unreservedly, and breaking free? 

 

I certainly hope so. For me, this makes Grace in all its facets an urgent component for our present day and future classrooms. The current times are violently shaking us into action and young people are more than ever in need for spiritual truths to hold on to. But they want more than fixed, dogmatic ideas. They need to hone transformational forces that can actually change them, and the world, for the better.  

Takeaways:

• I view Grace as a fluid state between contemplation, compassion, and selflessness.
• The most challenging aspects of one's teaching practice are gateways for spiritual growth.
• Meditative practices in teaching provide ways for personal transformation for both teachers and students.
• Living in grace means aiming for deep awareness and choosing to be present for even the most insignificant tasks.
• Contemplative pedagogies are dire for the challenges humanity is facing. 

References:

• C Blinne, K. (2014). Awakening to Lifelong Learning: Contemplative Pedagogy as Compassionate Engagement. Radical Pedagogy, 11(2), 1–30. https://www.academia.edu/8134359/Awakening_to_Lifelong_Learning_Contemplative_Pedagogy_as_Compassionate_Engagement

• Kernochan, R. A., McCormick, D. W., & White, J. A. (2007). Spirituality and the Management Teacher. Journal of Management Inquiry, 16(1), 61–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492606297545

• Nepo, M. (2011). The Book of Awakening [E-book]. Red Wheel Weiser. https://www.amazon.es/Book-Awakening-Having-Being-Present/dp/1573241172

• Reuben, R. (2012). Bringing Mindfulness into the Classroom: A Personal Journey. Journal of Legal Education, 61(4), 674-682. Retrieved October 2, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42894258