Book Reviews: The Artistic Vision and Spirit of Teaching

Abstract

An essay review of James M. Banner, Jr., and Harold C. Cannon, The Elements of Teaching. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997. 142 pp. The literature of education abounds with books exploring the theory and practice of teaching: pedagogical philosophies, psychologies and styles of learning, methods, techniques, and materials. Yet, the less tangible human factors in teaching have received very little attention: the personal qualities successful teachers possess and the ways they enhance learning and understanding. The Elements of Teaching, an insightful new book, helps fill this void. Drawing on the personal experiences of two former university professors and written primarily for present and future teachers of all levels, this short, reflective text emphasizes the qualities of character, mind, and spirit necessary for excellent teaching. Maintaining that teaching is an art and not just a mastery of technical skills, Banner and Cannon highlight the intellectual, moral, and emotional capacities possessed by the great artists who practice teaching. The Elements of Teaching invites teachers to think about what they are and what they know of themselves (p. 4), reevaluating old habits, values, and assumptions. Banner and Cannon's goal is to foster an open-ended exchange among teachers about what they exemplify, do, convey, try to achieve, and struggle with every day (p. 134), whether they are aware of it or not. Each of the nine chapters of The Elements of Teaching focuses on a particular quality of mind and spirit crucial to good teaching. In the first half of each chapter, Banner and Cannon outline several aspects of each attribute; in the second half, they illustrate their discussion with a fictional portrayal of a teacher who exemplifies--or fails to exemplify--the particular quality. The nine ingredients of the art of teaching are learning (keeping current with one's subjects, conveying a passion for knowledge, and helping students discover new perspectives on life); authority (responsibility for students' intellectual and moral nature based on the values of honesty, fairness, dignity, and humility); ethics (putting the needs and good of students before those of anyone else); order (fostering an external structure in which effective teaching can take place and a mental discipline necessary for students to learn); imagination (the ability of teachers to put themselves in students' places and, through novel means, to help them visualize different times, locations, and circumstances); compassion (a deep intellectual and emotional concern for students); patience (an active virtue requiring devotion, diligence, equanimity, and tolerance); character (the inherent mental and moral qualities that can be used to best effect in the classroom); and pleasure (the joy that teachers feel and give to their students). The Elements of Teaching presents a thoughtful analysis of an important and overlooked topic. Even the most experienced teachers need to be reminded that teaching involves more than knowledge of subjects, methods, and materials. Banner and Cannon convincingly argue that teaching is a quality of vision and spirit requiring fullness of heart and complete engagement (p. ix). They write in clear, concrete language, with engaging literary and historical references and figures of speech. In an age of educational doublespeak, their elegant simplicity and rigorous avoidance of jargon are welcome. The fictional sketches at the end of each chapter vividly portray the process of teaching--full of teachers' faults, foibles, mistakes, quirks, fancies, and blemishes as well as their virtues and triumphs (p. ix). Another appealing aspect of the book is its optimistic and encouraging tone. …