Teachers, Learning and Generative Silence

Authors

  • Bradley Baurain

Abstract

Authentic listening understands the importance of contexts, relationships, and silence. The purpose of this essay is to explore speaking silences and silent silences and to frame these understandings in terms of classroom pedagogy. Speaking silences are meaningful and generative. They create space for listening to others and should themselves be listened to, as testified to within various traditions of spirituality. Silent silences, however, suggest withdrawing or withholding. These might be chosen or unchosen expressions of dominance or resistance, depending on the situation. Acknowledging both risks and rewards, teachers are called to cultivate silence in their personal and professional lives and spaces.

Author Biography

Bradley Baurain

Bradley Baurain is a Ph.D. candidate in teaching, learning and teacher education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He has over 20 years of teaching experience – half of it in China and Vietnam. One of his prime research interests is the impact of spiritual and religious beliefs on teachers’ classroom philosophies and actions, an area in which little formal data has been gathered. Baurain has written and presented on this subject, and it is the focus of his Ph.D. dissertation. Baurain’s research focuses on a more holistic understanding of how and why teachers think and act, which is key to developing better practices in student achievement and teacher development.

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Published

2011-11-28

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 3 (2011): Journal of Curriculum Theorizing

Section

General Themes

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