Item 1572 - Schools stifle feelings

1 p. of textual records

This item is a half-page article by Henri Nouwen entitled, ‘Schools Stifle Feelings’, published in the National Catholic Reporter, October 11, 1974, p. 11. Nouwen begins the article by stating his purpose: ‘I would like to show how different forms of service can be seen as hospitality’. Nouwen then goes to speak about teaching as a form of ministry. Nouwen suggests that ‘ Practically every student perceives his education as an endless row of obligations to be fulfilled…In such a climate it is not so surprising that an enormous resistance to learning develops and that much real mental and emotional development is inhibited by an education situation in which students perceive their teachers more as demanding bosses than as guides in their search for knowledge and understanding’. Nouwen suggests that what is needed is for there to be a space created ‘where students and teachers can enter into a fearless communication with each other and allow their respective life experiences to be their primary and most valuable source of growth and maturation’. Nouwen states that he sees teaching also as a form of hospitality and that a most important task of the teacher is to create ‘ a fearless space’ where questions can be asked and explored.

Published in National Catholic Reporter, 11 October 1974, p. 11.
Reprinted from Monastic Studies, Mount Saviour Monastery, Pine City, NY.
Duplicate copy available in the file. One copy has 10/18 written in pencil on the top right hand and the other,156-1572 c.2 also in pencil.
There is a head shot photo of Nouwen, taken by Ron van den Bosch. See P6433 on Page 11 of Album 3 for a full-size version of the photo.
This article was published in a revised form in Chapter 5 in Nouwen, Henri, Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual life, Image Books, Doubleday, N.Y., 1975.

Added by L Joson, 7 November 2017