Teaching as Vocation—Part II: A Time to LovePosted on August 6, 2013 by David RhoadsThe following excerpts of David’s upcoming book, Teaching to Learn, Learning to Teach: Reflections on Education as Transformation through Dialogue (Fall 2013 ), are used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers.Biblical language distinguishes between two different experiences of time. Chronos time is the linear experience of time in hours, days, weeks, and so on. By contrast, kairos time is “opportune time” or “occasion time.” Perhaps it is best captured by the well-known verse declaring that “For everything there is a season. . . a time to plant and a time to pluck up . . . a time to weep and a time to dance . . . .”Times Zones of TeachingWhen class is going normally, I consider myself to be on linear syllabus time, moving along with the subjects and methods that need to be dealt with. However, when one of these special moments presents itself, I immediately think of myself as being on kairos time, “opportune time”—a time that comes when it comes and we have to be open to it….
Teaching as Vocation—Part I: The “Flow” of TeachingPosted on July 24, 2013 by David RhoadsThe following excerpts of David’s upcoming book, Teaching to Learn, Learning to Teach: Reflections on Education as Transformation through Dialogue (Fall 2013 ), are used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers.In the course of finalizing a series of autobiographical reflections for my upcoming book, I had a dream that was illuminating for me.“I am Going to Enjoy This.”I have been retired for several years now. And I have not done any teaching during that time. In my dream, I had been invited to go somewhere to give an informal talk or lecture in a lounge at some unidentified seminary institution. I was pleased to be doing it.However, I was worried that too few people would show up, concerned that it might not be worthwhile for the school to have invited me. But I was reassured as I walked down the hall when I saw about 30 or so people moving into the lounge area, some I recognized from seminary. And I thought this to myself: “I am going to enjoy this. When I taught before is when I experienced ecstasy.” Then I woke up.