Learning in Paradox

"My vocation (to use the poet's term) is the spiritual life, the quest for God, which relies on the eye of the heart. My avocation is education, the quest for knowledge, which relies on the eye of the mind. I have seen life through both these eyes as long as I can remember - but the two images have not always coincided... I have been forced to find ways for my eyes to work together, to find a common focus for my spirit-seeking heart and my knowledge-seeking mind that embraces reality in all its amazing dimensions." - Parker J. Palmer

Here are a few of my reflections on Parker Palmer’s Six Paradoxical Tensions* when considering teaching/learning spaces:

1. The space should be bounded and open. I have seen how important it is for teachers to create learning environments (literally and figuratively) that are big enough to allow for and encourage exploration. At the time, learning needs focus and establishing boundaries remains a critical piece of the teaching/learning dynamic. In written assignments for my Old Testament class, for example, we are free to write on any topic or question that comes to mind in relation to a chosen set of verses. Yet we are confined to use the Bible as the only reference point and encouraged to exclude any outside sources. In this way, we are being trained into careful scriptural study and yet remain open to the depth and range of how the scriptures can speak to us.

2. The space should be hospitable and charged. I can say with certainty that most of the teaching/learning environments I’ve experienced since coming to campus this fall have created safe, nurturing settings. In addition, there is no sitting back as I am continually challenged to perform at a deeper level. I appreciate this juxtaposition of comfort and stress and how it seems to be pushing me to engage the work at hand in a more compelling fashion.

3. The space should invite the voice of the individual and the voice of the group. While a lot of attention is given to this tension here at Luther, I can tell that this is one of the harder paradoxes within which to maintain balance. Given the amount of lecturing that goes on here, you can imagine that certain voices reign supreme. In addition, during the group discussion times of my courses with fairly large class sizes, only a few voices seem to be heard. No significant efforts are placed into drawing out the quieter voices or toward group consensus-building. While I see this as a necessary evil of this academic setting, and perhaps more unique to these larger “survey” courses, I look forward to watching this dynamic change in the coming semesters and certainly within the educational aspects of my own ministry down the road.

4. The space should honor the “little” stories of the students and the “big” stories of disciplines and tradition. Here too, I am experiencing a stronger presence of the “big” stories during this first semester at Luther. While I am valuing greatly the learning of foundational elements of theological education, I look forward to the times when the stories of the individuals break through. For example, when we get opportunities to connect with people who are actively engaged in the life of the church in the world, I feel that learning seems to come full circle.

5. The space should support solitude and surround it with the resources of community. I feel like I am sitting comfortably within the tension of this paradox. Since my time during the First Week Orientation and up until today, I am impressed at how this seminary has worked to create a rich learning community. At the same time, I am pleased to have found great benefit in the times spent alone. This has given me the freedom to pay attention to the specifics of my work and yet supported me with tremendous resources, some tangible and others spiritual.

6. The space should welcome both silence and speech. I am a reminded of a practice that was included in the daily rhythms of Christikon Lutheran Bible Camp, where I worked as a staff person during my undergraduate college years. At one point during the day, the whole camp engaged in “quiet time” when everyone was instructed to go off by themselves and use the time for personal reflection, reading, journaling or the like. Most of all, there was no talking permitted with any other camper or staff person. As you can imagine, this silence was easy for some and nearly impossible for others. I rode both ends of that spectrum during my time at Christikon. Now, I have come to value the importance of this practice. I have found that when I can be intentional with times of silence then I am able to more deeply appreciate the times when I am engaged in conversation. I look forward to seeing how this rhythm will develop during my time here at Luther.

Another paradox? If I were to make an argument for a seventh paradox, I would give some thought to learning environments that are at times casual and at other times professional. In creating spaces for learning to take place, benefit can be gained from casual settings that encourage relaxed conversation and lowered inhibitions. At the same time, there are times when the subject matter or the learning style may profit from a more professional approach. A more structured environment may lend certain credibility to the topic at hand.

* Parker J. Palmer, The Courage to Teach (San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1998), pages 73 – 77.