June 23rd. Diary, I got up this morning thinking about Joseph Campbell
who said we should follow our bliss. I think he's right. Life in general,
teaching in particular, is not about doing only what makes sense, not just
transmitting information; more importantly, it's also doing what makes
rapture, what is meaningful, purposeful, fulfilling, satisfying. If nothing
else, having had a massive cerebral hemorrhage I should not have survived
taught me that. Yet, more than a few times I feel that if I can describe the
reason for my "why" of my feeling and thoughts and actions in words, it's not
really the ultimate genesis of the why. There would always another more
profound, deeper, indescribable reason beyond it for it. Sometimes, I just
have to say to myself and others, as I have more than a few times, "You just
don't ask."
What got me onto this "bliss thing" was that I woke up this morning
still thinking about Tom, especially that haunting phrase he used, "student
whisperer." I like that description. Diary, do you know what that term refers
to? It's a play on a 19th century Irish horse trainer who had developed a
knack for rehabilitating abused or traumatized horses. He would stand face to
face with the troubled horse. People at the time thought that it was
mysterious, that he was capable of speaking "horse talk" as he whispered into
the horses' ears, that the horses could understand him--and trust him, and that
they were quickly calmed by his magical techniques. But, there was nothing
mysterious and magical about what he did. What he really did was have a tender
regard, be empathetic to the motives, needs, and desires of the horse. He
would seek out, find, and see that something beautiful that was to be found in
that frightened, aggressive, and uncooperative horse. Sometimes it was obvious
and overpowering, and other times it was subtle and delicate, and still other
times it was totally hidden. But, it always took a lot of quiet and reassuring
love, faith, commitment, and perseverance to uncover it and for the horse to
feel it. He was posing no danger or harm, calming both his and the animal's
thoughts, simply being, feeling the power he and the horse were, softly
touching and caressing that animal, feeling the strength and passion, enjoying,
refreshing, living.
In the spirit of the Horse Whisper, we should be "student whisperers?"
It is at the core of my "Teacher's Oath." As a "Student Whisperer" we would
know that the classroom and those in it are rich and varied beyond anything we
can imagine. We would celebrate and, more importantly, live the uniqueness,
sacredness, nobility, and worth that is each student. We would be truly moved
by the awesome wonder of each of them. No longer would they be unnoticed and
ignored "cellophane people." No longer would they be rejected "don't belongs."
We would have an unconditional--unconditional--appreciative, loving,
thankful, kind, empathetic, supporting, safe, encouraging, and calming heart.
It sure beats thinking we're jolting bronco busters who break the rough-stock,
feral, recalcitrant students into submission. As "Student Whisperers" we
should work with, rather than against, each student; we would love those we
see, for all we have to do is to find little bit of beauty, develop our powers
of empathy, and we open ourselves up to finding more in both ourselves and
others. In the spirit of Ed Deci, Carol Dweck, Daniel Goleman, Richard
Boyatzis, Howard Gardner, Peter Senge, Peter Vail, and a host of others, we
should nurture self-esteem and confidence, faith and hope, autonomy and
ownership, and optimism; we should understand and appreciate each student's
strengths and abilities, and utilize them to help the student help her/himself
develop emotional, behavioral and intellectual proficiencies; we should help
them find a sense meaning and purpose; and we should help them help themselves
become the person each is capable of becoming.
Make it a good day
-Louis-
Louis Schmier http://www.the
randomthoughts.edublogs.org
Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\
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(O) 229-333-5947 /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__ / \
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(C) 229-630-0821 / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ /
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//\/\/ /\ \__/_-_/_/\_\/ \_/__\ \ \
/\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\
_ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - / \_
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