Summary

The Tao of Teaching by Greta Nagel creates a bridge between the ancient Chinese book of wisdom, the Tao Te Ching, and modern day education. Within the eighty-one chapters of the book, the author takes the reader through a series of ideals, or Taoism, for teachers to live and work by. While brief and to the point, these Taoism create an atmosphere in classrooms that not only adheres to learning, but also creates a community of learners.

Each Taoism is followed by an example of a teacher currently in a classroom. For the sake of understanding multiple perspectives, the author follows three teachers who demonstrate the various Taoism’s. One teacher teaches a multi age classroom with kids ranging from kindergarteners to third graders. Another teacher teaches sixth grade. The final teacher is a high school teacher teaching philosophy, psychology, and government. These examples allow the reader to fully understand each Taoism and see how they are put to practice.