Hidden Wholeness: Paradoxes

I found this chapter to be the most grounded in practical, immediate application so far. I certainly related to Palmer's own "good" class - "bad" class paradox.  As mentioned before, I once taught two sections of the same class with completely different results (same materials, syllabus . . . .). Reading the evaluations by the students of the two sections revealed two glaringly different perspectives: 1) I was the greatest teacher ever or 2) I stunk. A true paradox in teaching. Unlike Palmer, I didn't reflect at all on what I learned from the evaluations from the "bad" class. Sad to say, I simply ignored those and glowed in the positive reviews.

For me, beyond that, one of the greatest paradoxes which I have found in teaching is the one in which we as teachers must teach the class as a whole -- cover "X" amount of materials in a certain time versus reaching, somehow touching, the inner knowledge and anima of each inidividual student.  This is a continual quandry.

I also found the last section of the chapter most salient. I recall teaching (in a situation as Palmer observed), when I asked a question, waited for a response, got none and jumped in trying to "remedy" the silence, only to
sink further in pedagogical muck. From this example Palmer concludes with the need for higher self to cope.
I think herein lies the most relevant comments for teaching in Catholic schools.  His reflections on endurance vis-a-vis suffering stemming from the "tension of opposites" -- actively embracing of it -- is most profound. To make sense of suffering is one of central tennents of Catholicism. As Paul writes on suffering in Romans, 5: 3-5: "[W]e also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perserverance; perserverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not dissappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

I have this week's assignment of the teaching experience for this Chapter. The reflections I would ask of you in preparation for this are: share in the next class 1) one passage or example from Scriptures, etc., on suffering/one that you might use or emphasize in class and 2) an example, not mentioned before, of a significant paradox you have found in your own teaching. Thanks!