In his Guide to Thomas Aquinas, Josef Pieper stated the following about teaching and teachers:
Teaching does not consist in a man’s making public talks on the results of his meditations, even if he does so ex cathedra before a large audience. Teaching in the real sense takes place only when the hearer is reached— not by dint of some personal magnetism or verbal magic, but rather, when the truth of what is said reaches the hearer as truth. Real teaching takes place only when its ultimate result—which must be intended from the start—is achieved—when the hearer is “taught”…. Being taught means to perceive that what the teacher has said is true and valid, and to perceive why it is so. Teaching therefore presupposes that the hearer is sought out where he is to be found. Thus teaching implies proceeding from the existing position and disposition of the hearer.... The teacher, then, must proceed from what is valid in the opinion of the hearer to the fuller and purer truth as he, the teacher, understands it (pp. 32-33).
Teaching means, Thomas Aquinas said, the “handing over” of what one learns and contemplates to others, contemplata aliis tradere. We want the truth to be known, to be what we hold. Plato warned us about having a “lie” in our own souls about reality, a lie that we knowingly choose for ourselves. We do not want to deceive ourselves about the most important things.
http://www.collegeguide.org/itemdetail.aspx?item=45ae993f-51b2-446c-ae72-b72ee67c475d&page=5
Teaching does not consist in a man’s making public talks on the results of his meditations, even if he does so ex cathedra before a large audience. Teaching in the real sense takes place only when the hearer is reached— not by dint of some personal magnetism or verbal magic, but rather, when the truth of what is said reaches the hearer as truth. Real teaching takes place only when its ultimate result—which must be intended from the start—is achieved—when the hearer is “taught”…. Being taught means to perceive that what the teacher has said is true and valid, and to perceive why it is so. Teaching therefore presupposes that the hearer is sought out where he is to be found. Thus teaching implies proceeding from the existing position and disposition of the hearer.... The teacher, then, must proceed from what is valid in the opinion of the hearer to the fuller and purer truth as he, the teacher, understands it (pp. 32-33).
Teaching means, Thomas Aquinas said, the “handing over” of what one learns and contemplates to others, contemplata aliis tradere. We want the truth to be known, to be what we hold. Plato warned us about having a “lie” in our own souls about reality, a lie that we knowingly choose for ourselves. We do not want to deceive ourselves about the most important things.
http://www.collegeguide.org/itemdetail.aspx?item=45ae993f-51b2-446c-ae72-b72ee67c475d&page=5
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