Comments for The Center for Leadership in Education http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog brought to you by Ideas Unleashed! Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:28:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on The Courage to Teach Book Study, 2008 by Katie http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2008/06/19/the-courage-to-teach-book-study-2008/#comment-4994 Katie Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:00:44 +0000 http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/?p=237#comment-4994 Students also project the internal conditions of their souls out into their work and actions in or on the world. I think the difference I notice, especially in reflection on things that troubled me as a youth is that children and teens may feel powerless to do anything to change the conditions in which they are forced to live and operate. I think that these feelings of powerlessness lead them to do things or be in the world in a way they do not actually want to be – however they don’t know any other way – or worse, perhaps they have learned unhealthy ways to be or to cope. They may even develop their own methods – healthy or not – as protective tools to guard from exposure their own interior conditions - Just as we do - yet differently. I think children live deeply in paradox. Think about kids who seem like they want nothing to do with school, or work or responsibility. I think they want desperately to be responsible, healthy, and successful – and I wonder if perhaps they just don’t know how and maybe they need help, but are afraid to ask or don’t know how to ask for help or perhaps don’t even want to ask for help because they are so deeply ingrained in doing things in a horribly-unhealthy way that it has become their norm. So these kids do things that seem like they don’t care at all. I often think the people who say, “I don’t care” are the ones who care the most desperately. Think about all of the things that kids cannot control or are powerless to change in their lives: home, school, parents, siblings, neighborhood, external pressures, peers, status, expectations, ... As an adult, I can make changes in my life that kids cannot. As an adult, even in a situation of powerlessness - I can still reach out for a network of support and care. Do all children have this as an option? Students also project the internal conditions of their souls out into their work and actions in or on the world. I think the difference I notice, especially in reflection on things that troubled me as a youth is that children and teens may feel powerless to do anything to change the conditions in which they are forced to live and operate. I think that these feelings of powerlessness lead them to do things or be in the world in a way they do not actually want to be – however they don’t know any other way – or worse, perhaps they have learned unhealthy ways to be or to cope. They may even develop their own methods – healthy or not – as protective tools to guard from exposure their own interior conditions - Just as we do - yet differently.

I think children live deeply in paradox. Think about kids who seem like they want nothing to do with school, or work or responsibility. I think they want desperately to be responsible, healthy, and successful – and I wonder if perhaps they just don’t know how and maybe they need help, but are afraid to ask or don’t know how to ask for help or perhaps don’t even want to ask for help because they are so deeply ingrained in doing things in a horribly-unhealthy way that it has become their norm. So these kids do things that seem like they don’t care at all. I often think the people who say, “I don’t care” are the ones who care the most desperately.

Think about all of the things that kids cannot control or are powerless to change in their lives: home, school, parents, siblings, neighborhood, external pressures, peers, status, expectations, …

As an adult, I can make changes in my life that kids cannot.

As an adult, even in a situation of powerlessness - I can still reach out for a network of support and care. Do all children have this as an option?

]]> Comment on The Courage to Teach Book Study, 2008 by Jeff http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2008/06/19/the-courage-to-teach-book-study-2008/#comment-4993 Jeff Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:25:30 +0000 http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/?p=237#comment-4993 Hello To All: Wow! What powerful stuff! I think that the depth and insight contained within the posts has surpassed my wildest expectations. A couple of things have emerged as themes around the posts and I wanted to mention them to see if anyone else noticed the pattern: First, numerous people chose to respond to the quote about how teaching comes from within. I think that if we had led with that in the workshop, many would have acknowledged the accuracy of the statement because it seems to be intuitively correct. I noticed that people went deeper into the meaning of the statement and developed a deeper awareness of the notion of "the self that teaches." What other things do you currently acknowledge and accept as true, but have not taken the time to deeply explore? Second, the quote about students being marginalized in this society did not resonate well. As a matter of fact, I don't recall seeing any posts that responded to that. If I missed one, I apologize. This begs the question, what do we think of our students? If they do not engage with the content and process of school, what other things might explain that? Let's keep the conversation going. Jeff Hello To All:

Wow! What powerful stuff! I think that the depth and insight contained within the posts has surpassed my wildest expectations.

A couple of things have emerged as themes around the posts and I wanted to mention them to see if anyone else noticed the pattern:

First, numerous people chose to respond to the quote about how teaching comes from within. I think that if we had led with that in the workshop, many would have acknowledged the accuracy of the statement because it seems to be intuitively correct. I noticed that people went deeper into the meaning of the statement and developed a deeper awareness of the notion of “the self that teaches.” What other things do you currently acknowledge and accept as true, but have not taken the time to deeply explore?

Second, the quote about students being marginalized in this society did not resonate well. As a matter of fact, I don’t recall seeing any posts that responded to that. If I missed one, I apologize. This begs the question, what do we think of our students? If they do not engage with the content and process of school, what other things might explain that?

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Jeff

]]> Comment on The Courage to Teach Book Study, 2008 by kathy http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2008/06/19/the-courage-to-teach-book-study-2008/#comment-4992 kathy Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:52:43 +0000 http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/?p=237#comment-4992 Responding to part of the quotation on pg.3 of Courage To Teach- we instantly adopt whatever solution has most recently ben concocted by our national panacea machine;and in the proces, we demoralize, even paralyse, the very teachers who could help us find our way." In the teaching of reading to young children I have implemented three diferent reading intervention programs in as many years. These programs are designed to help 'at risk' readers catch up. The programs go so far as to tell the teacher what dialogue to use while instructing the students. These programs seem to assume that teachers need to be told how to teach.They take the human equation out of teaching and leave no room for the diversity of teaching styles. Responding to part of the quotation on pg.3 of Courage To Teach- we instantly adopt whatever solution has most recently ben concocted by our national panacea machine;and in the proces, we demoralize, even paralyse, the very teachers who could help us find our way.”

In the teaching of reading to young children I have implemented three diferent reading intervention programs in as many years. These programs are designed to help ‘at risk’ readers catch up. The programs go so far as to tell the teacher what dialogue to use while instructing the students. These programs seem to assume that teachers need to be told how to teach.They take the human equation out of teaching and leave no room for the diversity of teaching styles.

]]> Comment on The Courage to Teach Book Study, 2008 by kathy http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2008/06/19/the-courage-to-teach-book-study-2008/#comment-4991 kathy Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:33:48 +0000 http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/?p=237#comment-4991 Responding to the quotation on pg. 8 of Courage To Teach ' To reduce vulnerability, we disconect from students, from subjects, and even from ourselves.' Teaching is a human activity that comes from our inwardnes for better or for worse. If teachers didn't feel vulnerable sometimes they wouldn't be human. We all have good days and bad days. Good teachers dig deeper into themselves to find out what the problem was on a bad day and conversely dig deper to find out what was successful on good days. Responding to the quotation on pg. 8 of Courage To Teach ‘ To reduce vulnerability, we disconect from students, from subjects, and even from ourselves.’

Teaching is a human activity that comes from our inwardnes for better or for worse. If teachers didn’t feel vulnerable sometimes they wouldn’t be human. We all have good days and bad days. Good teachers dig deeper into themselves to find out what the problem was on a bad day and conversely dig deper to find out what was successful on good days.

]]> Comment on The Courage to Teach Book Study, 2008 by jkaess http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2008/06/19/the-courage-to-teach-book-study-2008/#comment-4990 jkaess Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:33:57 +0000 http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/?p=237#comment-4990 This is in response to Lisap. I agree that this was one of the best workshops I've attended in many years. It was very nice to be able to read and have an immediate conversation with a colleague and get their viewpoints. I also enjoyed re-evaluating why I became a teacher. Each year at the end of the year I'm so glad to be done but I immediately start thinking baout the next year. After our class I have many great ideas to incorporate for next year and a more in depth look at who I am as a teacher. Thank you! This is in response to Lisap. I agree that this was one of the best workshops I’ve attended in many years. It was very nice to be able to read and have an immediate conversation with a colleague and get their viewpoints. I also enjoyed re-evaluating why I became a teacher. Each year at the end of the year I’m so glad to be done but I immediately start thinking baout the next year. After our class I have many great ideas to incorporate for next year and a more in depth look at who I am as a teacher. Thank you!

]]> Comment on The Courage to Teach Book Study, 2008 by llisy http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2008/06/19/the-courage-to-teach-book-study-2008/#comment-4989 llisy Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:21:53 +0000 http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/?p=237#comment-4989 Regarding the issue of CONNECTEDNESS - Connectedness must come from within. Who we are on the inside shows through onto the facade. Passion is the catalyst which drives all aspects of our lives! Other than passion, are there other emotions which must be present from within, so as to connect with staff and students alike? Regarding the issue of CONNECTEDNESS - Connectedness must come from within. Who we are on the inside shows through onto the facade. Passion is the catalyst which drives all aspects of our lives! Other than passion, are there other emotions which must be present from within, so as to connect with staff and students alike?

]]> Comment on The Courage to Teach Book Study, 2008 by llisy http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2008/06/19/the-courage-to-teach-book-study-2008/#comment-4988 llisy Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:21:26 +0000 http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/?p=237#comment-4988 Regarding the issue of FEAR -Simply stated, "Fear instills within each one of us that which is beyond our human cognition." How can this quote be relevant to the field of education? What do you think it is saying? Regarding the issue of FEAR -Simply stated, “Fear instills within each one of us that which is beyond our human cognition.” How can this quote be relevant to the field of education? What do you think it is saying?

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