This book presents a vision of why teaching is important in human life and why its rewards, to teachers, are so distinctive.

2007 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title These original essays focus on John Dewey's Democracy and Education, a book widely regarded as one of the greatest works ever written in the history of educational thought. The contributors address Dewey's still powerful argument that education is not a preparation for life, but rather constitutes a fundamental aspect of the very experience of living. The authors examine Dewey's central themes, including the dynamics of human communication, the nature of growth, the relation between democracy and education, and the importance of recognizing student agency. They link their analyses with contemporary educational concerns and problems, offering ideas about what the curriculum for children and youth should be, how to prepare teachers for the profession, what pedagogical approaches make the most sense given societal trends, and how to reconstruct the purposes of school. This first book-length study of Dewey's extraordinary text attests to the continued power in his work and to the diverse audience of educators to whom he has long appealed.

A methodology for using philosophy to guide teaching preparation and practice

The Call to Teach has been used in teacher education and educational research courses the world over. This volume celebrates that landmark text and examines the far-reaching impact of David Hansen’s teaching and scholarship. Essays by international educators and scholars explore his influence on our understanding of a whole host of important themes, including the moral dimensions of teaching, educational research, teacher education, and the philosophy of education. Contributing authors from eight countries consider the influence of Hansen’s ideas from the vantage point of our contemporary educational scene, and from their own unique cultural perspectives. David Hansen and The Call to Teach continues the conversation about the meaning of teaching through the concept of vocation as initiated by Hansen in The Call to Teach and examines its potential to renew the practice of teaching within today’s educational landscape. Contributors: Catie Bell • Indrani Bhattacharjee • Darryl De Marzio • David Hansen • Ruth Heilbronn • Caroline Heller • Pádraig Hogan • Hansjörg Hohr • Margaret Macintyre Latta • Lisa Marques • Anna Pagès • Elizabeth Saville • Shelley Sherman • Katie Wihak • Huajun Zhang “David T. Hansen’s The Call to Teach is a modern educational classic. Coming from eight different nations, the contributors to De Marzio’s exquisitely edited David Hansen and the Call to Teach bring the passion, poetry, and piety found in the original text to a new generation of readers in a global context. The call to teach is truly universal.” —Jim Garrison, professor, Foundations of Education program, Virginia Tech

"This book is for teachers who have good days and bad -- and whose bad days bring the suffering that comes only from something one loves. It is for teachers who refuse to harden their hearts, because they love learners, learning, and the teaching life." - Parker J. Palmer [from the Introduction] Teachers choose their vocation for reasons of the heart, because they care deeply about their students and about their subject. But the demands of teaching cause too many educators to lose heart. Is it possible to take heart in teaching once more so that we can continue to do what good teachers always do -- give heart to our students? In The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer takes teachers on an inner journey toward reconnecting with their vocation and their students -- and recovering their passion for one of the most difficult and important of human endeavors.

This text combines teachers' beliefs and practices with a discussion of the connections between the moral dimensions of schooling and professional ethics applied in teaching. It presents the concept of ethical knowledge as it is revealed, as it is challenged, and as it may be used in schools.

Addressing the many ethical issues that arise daily in school, this volume is a hands-on guide for all K-12 practitioners, an excellent teaching tool for preparing future teachers, and an essential resource for anyone who wants to create a caring and supportive school environment. This book features: realistic, provocative, and ethically challenging case studies that can be adapted to both private and public school settings, ideal for generating discussions about how to resolve given issues; a range of encounters educators are apt to experience, such as between teacher and teacher, teacher and student, parent and teacher, and parent and administrator; an array of ethical dilemmas and issues encountered at different grade levels on topics such as: racism, teasing, cheating, plagiarism, anorexia, free speech, violence, religion, and much more; and appendixes listing ethical standards for each member of the school community and overviews of student understandings of right and wrong, presented according to grade level.