What is Courage to Teach?

Courage To Teach® (CTT) is a program for the personal and professional renewal of educators on whom our society depends for so much, but for whom we typically provide so little support and encouragement. Developed by Parker J. Palmer, Ph.D. and the Center for Courage & Renewal, CTT programs and retreat series focus neither on technique, nor on school reform, but on renewing the inner lives of professionals in education.


CTT provides educators opportunities, individually and in community, for personal and professional insight and growth. It gives educators time to:
  • reflect and re-charge
  • focus on their own pressing work and life questions
  • support each other’s personal and professional development
  • celebrate their gifts and acknowledge their limitations
  • practice deep listening
  • find the courage to live in congruence with their values and to help their communities do the same

In large group, small group, and solitary settings, typically in the context of a multi-session retreat series, we make use of personal stories, reflections on classroom practice, and insights from poets, storytellers, and various wisdom traditions. Often we focus on a seasonal theme, using the rich metaphors of the natural world to explore vocational and life questions.

In multi-session retreats, a group of 20-25 educators agree to come together for a two- or three day retreat each season for one or two years. We also host shorter Courage to Teach events that provide teachers an introductory experience.

In 1994-1996, Parker J. Palmer and the Fetzer Institute piloted an approach to professional development called "teacher formation," which inspired Parker's book, The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life. This approach is rooted in the belief that good teaching flows from the identity and integrity of the teacher. The formation process invites educators to reclaim their own wholeness and vocational clarity, and makes connections between the renewal of a teacher's spirit and the revitalization of public education. Since that time, this approach has grown and is now offered to educators nationally through the work of the Center for Courage & Renewal, regional affiliates including Courage & Renewal Northeast, and individual Courage & Renewal facilitators throughout the US and Canada.

Upcoming Courage to Teach Events

Last Updated: Saturday, August 16, 2008