The Teacher's Body

Diane P. Freedman, Martha Stoddard Holmes

Reasons why read this book

Diane P. Freedman and Martha Stoddard Holmes challenge the fiction of a disembodied teacher, offering vital insights into how the visible and invisible teacher's body profoundly transforms classroom dynamics, pedagogy, and teacher-student interactions.

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Synopsis

These deeply introspective essays, drawn from a diverse array of academic environments, meticulously explore the profound and often challenging moments of discomfort, feelings of disempowerment, or sudden flashes of enlightenment that invariably arise when we confront and dismantle the pervasive, convenient fiction that the educator exists without a physical presence. Whether overtly visible or subtly concealed, the teacher's body possesses an undeniable capacity to fundamentally alter both the personal experience of the educator and the intricate dynamics of the classroom. When students perceive the teacher's body as clearly defined or marked by factors such as ethnicity, race, a visible disability, physical size, gender presentation, sexuality, chronic illness, age, pregnancy, socioeconomic class, or specific linguistic and geographic origins, or any complex combination of these identifiers, both the instructional methods employed and the very substance of the educational content can undergo significant transformations. Furthermore, other, less discernible facets of a teacher's bodily reality, such as ongoing struggles with depression, anxiety, or a personal history of sexual assault, can exert an equally profound influence on the pedagogical approaches utilized and the ways in which students ultimately engage with learning. This compelling collection systematically dissects these pivotal moments of embodied pedagogy, reframing them as invaluable and often unexpected teaching opportunities. It thoroughly scrutinizes their evident impact on the complex educational interplay between teacher and student, particularly in relation to the evolving dynamics of power, authority, desire, camaraderie, intellectual receptiveness, and forms of resistance.

Book information

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The Teacher's Body, written by Diane P. Freedman, Martha Stoddard Holmes and published on 01-02-2012, is included in our catalog for information queries and ebook downloads in epub or pdf format.

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