Deborah Davis
Palmer Chapter 4
1. In chapter 4, Palmer refers to three communities. Describe them
and the experience[s] you have had with them. The three
communities to which Palmer refers are the therapeutic, the civic,
and the marketing. The first is focused on intimacy, which Palmer
says raises concerns about relationships with strangers. In the civic
community, the goal is public mutuality, a contrivance toward the
greater good, but merits caution to preclude the sense of “good”
overtaking “truth.” In the marketing community, education is
treated as a product, and treats the citizenry as consumers to
whom educators are accountable.
In my experience, in many
ways, all three communities apply, with emphasis changing through
the school years. In the years of small childhood, therapeutic
community is vital. Children need to feel loved and accepted.
They need to be taught about personal identity and to be kind to
strangers, but not to put themselves at risk. Once the limits are set,
by the middle school years (when they are naturally selfish), they
need to learn about the importance of civic duty, and to put others
before themselves. When they reach college age, education is, in
Deborah Davis
Palmer Chapter 4
many ways, a marketed commodity, and the students are the
consumers. Having taught at all levels, I see these emphases
clearly.
2. Discuss the pros and cons of the three communities, especially with
respect to the educational community. As regards education, the
pros and cons of the three communities lay out pretty distinctively.
Intimacy with boundaries is a key factor in developing healthy
children. They need to know to whom they can go, at any age,
with any issue. This foundation will breed self-confidence, and
provide a solid base for growing relationships. However, there are
limits to intimacy that must be applied. Small children need to learn
“no zones” and privacy constraints as a part of learning respect for
others. In education, the nurturing status of the early childhood
teacher must be coupled with boundaries and guidelines to help
mold these children. As the selfish nature of humanity comes to the
forefront, they need to learn to put others first. Still, even with a civic
communities, truth must reign supreme. The risk of violating truth for
a “global good” is a very real risk. So, while educators model and
encourage and direct civic participation, those same educators
need to be alert to keep the children safe, and be aware that they
are still children, and in need of nurturing. Most importantly, the
Deborah Davis
Palmer Chapter 4
children need to be focused on truth at this time. The biggest
concern with the marketing notion is when students and parents are
uninformed consumers of the educational product. Education is, in
many ways, unlike other commodities in that it builds in a reciprocal
nature. Each student must climb the heights of the educational
ladder by himself. Teachers will hold the ladder, paint the rungs,
hang treats above, etc. Parents sometime think that teachers can
divest education with a firehose or that their children will learn
through osmosis. Being an educator, however, is far more than
being a book. Most students need more than a singular
presentation in one manner. As consumers, the parents, and
sometimes the students, feel they may pick the fruit of knowledge
from the trees of the teachers wisdom. But, they must wait until their
own brains are ripe for it, or it will be better disillusionment.
3. Is the educational community another community or merely a part
of the others? How so? I believe the educational community is
BOTH another community and part and parcel of the other three.
The educational community is a growing, vital organ of a society.
As such, the nutritional and exercise needs will alter through use and
direction. In many ways, as indicated above, it is a blended
community of the other three. At the same time, it is aloof –
Deborah Davis
Palmer Chapter 4
dynamically thriving in an eclectic pattern of its own. A place
where truth and knowledge should reign tempered with fairness
and mercy. The educational community is uniquely suited to
interface with the other communities, encompassing them and
excluding them in parts to meet its own needs. It is guided by those
gifted or driven to make a difference.