Experiencing Teaching

Review, Chapter One, Brookfield, (2015), The Skillful Teacher: On technique, trust and respnsiveness in the classroom, 3rd ed.San Fransisco, Jossey-Bass

The opening chapter of Brookfield's book starts out with a surprising list of mixed emotions that describe the author's feelings about his 45 years as a teacher. He describes classrooms "as arenas of confusion where teachers are struggling gladiators of ambiguity" (p 7). This brutally honest assessment of the teaching experience is far from the idealized picture that I have been striving for, but it is closer to my actual experience that I would have said out loud in the past. What a relief! As I read through this chapter, images of my own good, bad and neutral teaching experiences flashed through my mind, as I started to let go of my unreasonable belief in the myth that "everything depends on the teacher" (p 7).

Brookfield lists his 'truths' that he has formulated about his teaching:

*feeling like an imposter and perpetual amazement that people value his knowledge

*100% student engagement is impossible

*establish credibility immediately and avoid self-deprecation

*students appreciate personal stories and examples

*authenticity requires clear expectations and agendas

awareness of the power of the teacher in the classroom

*modelling critical thinking is important, but expect resistance from students

*restistance to learning is likely and the teachers cannot take full blame for this resistance

*of it is hard work to become aware and resist ingrained racist tendencies

*student motivation to learn cannot be placed solely on the teacher; teachers can assist students, but students must have the desire and be willing to work hard to overcome barriers

Brookfield concludes the first chapter by encouraging teachers to trust their instincts and personal and professional experience to guide them through unexpected challenges in their classrooms. The idea that teachers can learn to "unlock their experiences and reflect on them in a way that provides problem-solving insights" (p 11) provides an introduction to a major concept in this book - reflective practice.