As I was saying before Judy "interrupted," I am not so naive or cavalier to believe that choosing to be yourself is a proverbial "piece of cake." Far from it. Nor is it an enticingly comfortable topic, for it certainly doesn't fall into that category of convenient, safe "how to" pedagogical quick fixes, easy tricks, simple solutions, magic wands, guarantees, and sometimes fadish so many academics are seeking. It has nothing to do with what I call a "Little Jack Horner Syndrome" and/or "sustaining innovation" of which Clayton Christensen talks. And, at the same time we always diverted by the tendency to play the easy blame game with the lamentation of "students today aren't;" we seldom look at ourselves and play the very difficult responsibility game.
But, if you really believe in assessment, you first must assess yourself; that is, don't assess what you do, but who you are. It is essential! As Anais Nin said, "We see things not as they are, but as we are." Perception! Teaching, as Richard Boyatzis says in his RESONANT LEADERSHIP, and that would include classroom leadership, is an extension of who we are and what we perceive about ourselves and others. So, if we really want to learn about and choose to apply that underlying principle of teaching, to paraphrase Pogo, first meet your friend--or enemy--and discover he is us. It is crucial that we make the hard choice of taking a hard, honest look in the mirror to see who we are before we think of who "they" are and what we do. It is critical we acquire a challenging, uncomfortable, inconvenient, vulnerable, and sometimes painful mindfulness: a look at and inside ourselves, a knowing what is going on inside us, making a few uncomfortable and even painful admissions, being at peace and in tune with ourselves, being awake and aware and attentive to the surrounding circumstances and the people around us. You see the journey into the classroom begins and continues with the journey inside yourself. Again, easier said than done. And, not simple or quick. I've been on these rocky and twisting journies for the last twenty years. But, every day I am reminded that each of us is fighting that over-the-shoulder "what do they want" war against those people who want to make us into the person they want us to be. If we choose to succumb, and it is our choice, to lose that battle, to obediently follow edicts of "do as I say and do," how do we celebrate our uniqueness, how do we get filled with fulfillness, how do we achieve the possibilities that are ours, how do we live our own significance, how do we live our life on our own terms? Do we let someone else ghost write our lives? If students do that with a term paper, we call it cheating. What's the difference? We are not here to read someone else's script, to live out someone else's idea of a satisfying and successful life. And that's where choosing to develop a vision driven authentic purpose, a meaningfulness, a significance of self and what you do comes in. What is it that would make you feel more complete, more right with yourself and the world, more fulfilled, more satisfied, more significant, more authentic than anything else? You have to choose to let go into order to grab those "whats." You have to choose to let go of your perceptions, judgments, assumptions, fears, habits, and inhibitions. And again, it's not easy, simple, quick, comfortable, convenient, or painless. But, it's the way to convert your time and energy from being rudderless and adrift to charting and steering a course. You know, life, as well as our professions, is a struggle as it is. You add to that struggle by needlessly choosing to be either aimless or powerless, or both. Even if it’s not a particularly fashionable vision, get one. Get yourself a purpose for today, for tomorrow, for the day after that, for next month, for this year, for next year, for your life. And be sure it’s an authentic purpose, or it won't be of much value. Make sure it is the essence of who you are; it's what you sincerely feel while you're doing what you're doing; it is the way of meaningfully traveling through your life; it is your life. Don't heed the seductive Sirens, avoid getting stuck on the shoals and reefs, and you will feel that slow transformation from defeated, dismayed, sapping, destructive anguish, apathy, and even disinterest into solid, energizing, creative, potent determination and commitment. A vision driven purpose is that area in your life that cannot be diminished by anything or anyone. When your "why" is so meaningfully yours, when you choose to tank up with it, when you choose to make it solidly connected to your "what" and "do," nothing and no one can hold you back; you will discover and activate strengths, energies, skills, capabilities, possibilities, meaningfulness, significance, and effectiveness beyond your wildest dream. Maybe more important, your "why" becomes the armor that deflects the slings and arrows; it defangs and declaws; it helps you learn powerful positive lessons from both your disappointments and satisfactions; it gives you the strength to bear any burden and prevail through any challenge; it gives you the energy and motivation to drive through any obstructing barrier; it allows you to take everything in stride; it transforms challenge from halting obstacle into transforming opportunity; it takes you not only to where you want to be, but to where you must be. When you choose to be purpose driven, when you choose your "why," you'll always find the way; and, then, you'll find your way. Risky? Yes. But, damn, it's freeing and exhilarating. Touchy-feely, fluffy, fuzzy, new-agey stuff? The latest findings of the cognitive- and neuro-sciences say otherwise. More on that later. Make it a good day -Louis- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.com Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ (O) 229-333-5947 /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__ / \ / \ (C) 229-630-0821 / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ / \ /\ \ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\/ \_/__\ \ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - / \_ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=16203 or send a blank email to leave-16203-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
