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Docilitas: On Teaching and Being Taught
"The Latin word "Docilitas" in the title of this book means the willingness and capacity we have of being able to learn something we did not know. It has not the same connotation as "learning," which is what happens to us when we are taught something. Docility also means our recognition that we do not know many things, that we need the help of others, wiser than we are, to learn most of what we know, though we can discover a few things by or own experience. This book contains some sixteen chapters, each of which was given to an audience in some college or university setting. They consider what it is to teach, what to read, reading places, libraries, and class rooms. They look upon the duties of a teacher or professor as mostly a delight, because the truth should delight us. In Another Sort of Learning, the subject of what a student "owes" his teacher came up. Here, we look at the other side of the question, what does a teacher or professor "do"? But a professor cannot teach unless there is someone willing to be taught, someone willing to recognize that he needs guidance and help. Yet, the end of teaching is not just the "transfer" of what is in the mind of the professor to the mind of the student. It is when both, student and teacher, behold, reflect on, and see the same truth of things that are. This common "seeing" is the read adventure in which student and teacher share something neither "owns." Knowledge and truth are free, but each requires our different insights and approaches so that we can finally realize what "teaching" and "being taught" mean to us"--
- GenresEducation
192 pages, Hardcover
First published May 20, 2015
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
James V. Schall
91 books86 followersFr. James V. Schall, SJ was Professor of Political Philosophy at Georgetown University.
He was born in Pocahontas, Iowa, January 20, 1928. Educated in public schools in Iowa, he graduated in 1945 from Knoxville, Iowa High, and then attended University of Santa Clara. He earned an MA in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1945.
After time in the U.S. Army (1946-47), he joined the Society of Jesus (California Province) in 1948. He received a PhD in Political Theory from Georgetown University in 1960, and an MST from University of Santa Clara four years later. Fr. Schall was a member of the Faculty of Institute of Social Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome, from 1964-77, and a member of the Government Department, University of San Francisco, from 1968-77. He has been a member of the Government Department at Georgetown University since 1977.
Fr. Schall has written hundreds of essays on political, theological, literary, and philosophical issues in such journals as The Review of Politics, Social Survey (Melbourne), Studies (Dublin), The Thomist, Divus Thomas (Piacenza), Divinitas (Rome), The Commonweal, Thought, Modern Age, Faith and Reason, The Way (London), The New Oxford Review, University Bookman, Worldview, and many others. He contributes regularly to Crisis and Homiletic & Pastoral Review.
He iss the author of numerous books on social issues, spirituality, culture, and literature.
He was born in Pocahontas, Iowa, January 20, 1928. Educated in public schools in Iowa, he graduated in 1945 from Knoxville, Iowa High, and then attended University of Santa Clara. He earned an MA in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1945.
After time in the U.S. Army (1946-47), he joined the Society of Jesus (California Province) in 1948. He received a PhD in Political Theory from Georgetown University in 1960, and an MST from University of Santa Clara four years later. Fr. Schall was a member of the Faculty of Institute of Social Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome, from 1964-77, and a member of the Government Department, University of San Francisco, from 1968-77. He has been a member of the Government Department at Georgetown University since 1977.
Fr. Schall has written hundreds of essays on political, theological, literary, and philosophical issues in such journals as The Review of Politics, Social Survey (Melbourne), Studies (Dublin), The Thomist, Divus Thomas (Piacenza), Divinitas (Rome), The Commonweal, Thought, Modern Age, Faith and Reason, The Way (London), The New Oxford Review, University Bookman, Worldview, and many others. He contributes regularly to Crisis and Homiletic & Pastoral Review.
He iss the author of numerous books on social issues, spirituality, culture, and literature.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 10, 2018
It is perhaps unsurprising that this book is made up of writings relating to being teachable. The title of this book is an unfamiliar (at least to me) Latin word that is related to being docile, not a quality that most people wish to cultivate in our ferocious contemporary world. Most of the chapters of this book were published first elsewhere--1, 8 and 11 being online articles for Ignatius Insight, 3, 4, 7, and 12 written in Vital Speeches, 9 for New Blackfriars, 15 for Catholic World Report, 16 for Utraque Unum, and the conclusion for University Bookman. In general, it may be said accurately that the author takes a strongly and traditionally Catholic, and even more specifically Thomist, view to education and the relationship between faith and reason, and if you are fond of that there is much to appreciate here. Admittedly, although being teachable [1] is definitely an interest of mine, I come at the subject from a somewhat different perspective than the author himself. Even so, I found much here to enjoy and much to appreciate and I suspect that traditional Catholic readers (however many such people exist at present) will find this book especially enjoyable.
This book's contents are admittedly somewhat random, but that is part of the book's charm, seeing as the author is quite proficient at writing about teaching. He begins with acknowledgements and a discussion of how knowledge is not owned but rather passed on. He then discusses the patron saint of teachers, intellectual resources, teaching, why professors need students, some questions proper to the university, the reading room, teaching and the highest good, reading without learning, what makes liberal education liberal, Thomas Aquinas and the life of the mind, what it is necessary to read to be saved, Seneca's thoughts on personal libraries, the uselessness of philosophers, what a book is, learning from not having learned, the title subject of docilitas, what we should fix our gaze on, and an appendix with fifteen books to live on. Although the material is somewhat random, it is clear that the author draws a great deal of his writing and insight from ancient Greek and Roman philosophy as well as Roman Catholic practice. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he recommends a lot of books like this one that spring from a Catholic tradition for readers to read and learn by.
While it is unsurprising that the author is so fond of Roman and Greek sources as well as Romish ones, there are still plenty of surprises to be found here. One of the more remarkable aspects of this book is how many references there are to Peanuts. There are quite a few--dozens even--and that is not something I would normally expect in a book on education, not least one with a ponderous Latin title like this one. In general, the frequent Peanuts references clue the reader into the fact that he does not take reading and learning as "seriously" as other people do, and much can be gained from this unserious approach. Obviously, the target market for this book consists of serious-minded but not entirely serious Catholics. It is striking to note, for this reviewer at least, just how distinctive of a view about teaching and education one has based on one's worldview. Personally speaking, I would never look to the behavior of Greek philosophers or Seneca, much less Thomas Aquinas, as a model for how education should proceed, but that is exactly where this author goes, and although the perspective is different than my own, there is a great deal of soundness in what the author has to say, for all of its eccentricities.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
This book's contents are admittedly somewhat random, but that is part of the book's charm, seeing as the author is quite proficient at writing about teaching. He begins with acknowledgements and a discussion of how knowledge is not owned but rather passed on. He then discusses the patron saint of teachers, intellectual resources, teaching, why professors need students, some questions proper to the university, the reading room, teaching and the highest good, reading without learning, what makes liberal education liberal, Thomas Aquinas and the life of the mind, what it is necessary to read to be saved, Seneca's thoughts on personal libraries, the uselessness of philosophers, what a book is, learning from not having learned, the title subject of docilitas, what we should fix our gaze on, and an appendix with fifteen books to live on. Although the material is somewhat random, it is clear that the author draws a great deal of his writing and insight from ancient Greek and Roman philosophy as well as Roman Catholic practice. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he recommends a lot of books like this one that spring from a Catholic tradition for readers to read and learn by.
While it is unsurprising that the author is so fond of Roman and Greek sources as well as Romish ones, there are still plenty of surprises to be found here. One of the more remarkable aspects of this book is how many references there are to Peanuts. There are quite a few--dozens even--and that is not something I would normally expect in a book on education, not least one with a ponderous Latin title like this one. In general, the frequent Peanuts references clue the reader into the fact that he does not take reading and learning as "seriously" as other people do, and much can be gained from this unserious approach. Obviously, the target market for this book consists of serious-minded but not entirely serious Catholics. It is striking to note, for this reviewer at least, just how distinctive of a view about teaching and education one has based on one's worldview. Personally speaking, I would never look to the behavior of Greek philosophers or Seneca, much less Thomas Aquinas, as a model for how education should proceed, but that is exactly where this author goes, and although the perspective is different than my own, there is a great deal of soundness in what the author has to say, for all of its eccentricities.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
November 21, 2018
Wonderful musings by a decades-long teacher and a lifelong learner (still going strong well into his nineties). Accumulate wisdom that will delight, inform, and be a cause for rumination for teacher and student alike.
"Only when we are first docile, teachable, taught do we really begin to think." (191)
"Only when we are first docile, teachable, taught do we really begin to think." (191)
October 26, 2017
It pains me deeply to give something by the great Father Schall a mere three stars, but the presentation of this o'erhasty, slipshod, ramshackle of a haphazard collection knocks it down at least one star. If St. Augustine's Press has an editorial staff, either this book was compiled while they were on a Department Retreat or they need to have a stern talking to (far be it from me to advocate anyone getting fired, but the editorial, proofreading, transcribing work here was atrocious).
The other sort of drawback of this collection, and it truly perplexes me to discuss any "drawback" with a collection of Father Schall, is how similar many of the entries are. I understand that is mainly the point, and I certainly don't begrudge Father Schall for revisiting his favorite (and indeed worthwhile) themes in divers publications over the years, but to have so many so propinquitous in subject matter presented in a bemusingly "book-like" presentation feels like we are somehow being gulled. The occasional notion these discrete essays are now chapters in a cohesive (but not truly) book is also jarring at times.
But let's get down to it. This is a collection of essays, however similar, of one of the great thinkers of our day, Father James V. Schall. Any chance we have to read some of this thoughts, to be refreshed by his decades' worth of reading and reflection, to be reminded to read the things he has read, well, we are in for a good time. There's not too much on "teaching," per se, but there is a fair amount on "being taught," and being taught by James Schall, even if, as he would be the first to admit, he is "merely" repeating the words of Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Johnson, and Schultz, is as worthwhile an experience as this life affords.
The other sort of drawback of this collection, and it truly perplexes me to discuss any "drawback" with a collection of Father Schall, is how similar many of the entries are. I understand that is mainly the point, and I certainly don't begrudge Father Schall for revisiting his favorite (and indeed worthwhile) themes in divers publications over the years, but to have so many so propinquitous in subject matter presented in a bemusingly "book-like" presentation feels like we are somehow being gulled. The occasional notion these discrete essays are now chapters in a cohesive (but not truly) book is also jarring at times.
But let's get down to it. This is a collection of essays, however similar, of one of the great thinkers of our day, Father James V. Schall. Any chance we have to read some of this thoughts, to be refreshed by his decades' worth of reading and reflection, to be reminded to read the things he has read, well, we are in for a good time. There's not too much on "teaching," per se, but there is a fair amount on "being taught," and being taught by James Schall, even if, as he would be the first to admit, he is "merely" repeating the words of Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Johnson, and Schultz, is as worthwhile an experience as this life affords.
November 10, 2016
A collection of lectures and essays on teaching and being taught - by James Schall. While all of the chapters are thought provoking, being lectures they tend to overlap a little bit. While I have enjoyed both of the Schall books I have read, I would probably start with "The Life of the Mind" or "Another Sort of Learning" before this title.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews