Review of A Buddhist in the Classroom

Abstract

Sid Brown’s A Buddhist in the Classroom delves deep into “the intimacy of teaching†(xi), a term encompassing the web of activities, goals, and personalities that comprise any classroom. Because Brown is not only a Buddhist, but a religious studies professor, readers of CEA Forum will have to particularize Brown’s thoughts for the English classroom. However, A Buddhist in the Classroom contains a useful introduction to Buddhism and its practical application as equipment for the social, emotional, and interpersonal aspects of teaching. Additionally, the book is filled with extended narratives of active learning and critical thinking activities based upon Buddhist precepts, and the book is rife with stories of resistant students, mildly burnt-out instructors, and frustrated lesson plans salvaged over time through Brown’s Buddhist strategies.