Places, Feelings and Learning. Learning Serenity.

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Comments

[Dave]

"I want to know what was in the place before what’s there now — I choose those words deliberately: ‘in the place’ and not just ‘at’ it."

Not more than three minutes before I read this post I was in another room thinking about what was on our land before the development. This thought was not all that unusual however, because I think about stuff like it all the time.

I used to hike in areas around Cleveland. I bought books written by experts on the area and learned that it has never been developed. The closest anyone ever came to living in the area was the early 1800's. I hiked in these woods for over twenty years and always felt a connection to these people.

I think at this stage I am just a novice to verbalizing my thoughts about connections to the land - for they've been there all along.

Rosa and I have had great conversations on the term "value." I have been quite evangelistic about Rosa, MWA and TS out here in cyberspace. So, like the retail and food establishments have watered down the term value to cents off, I hope the following rant will not be taken any less serious.

Sorry, rant too long for comment section. See the blog:http://wizaard.typepad.com/rothacker_reviews/

[Rosa]

Dave, you can ‘rant’ as often as you like, for from you, ‘rants’ are revelations, and you teach us much in your very open sharing of them.

I too have more comments on this back on your post, for what I’m to say next in my response makes more sense after reading what you’ve written there.
http://wizaard.typepad.com/rothacker_reviews/2005/09/connections_to_.html

[Judie]

Rosa et al,
I am, once again, teaching high school. After 17 years as a high school administrator, I have chosen to once again teach, relate my experience as a master teacher, university instructor, and lifelong learner, to 9th grade English students. What a joy! What a delight! What surprises! During the course of instruction in the usual grammar, mechanics, assignments geared to response to literature, it has amazed me how very insightful and wise are these 14-year-old children/adults we call 9th graders. I still guide educational-admin. students through the research-based analytical courses focused upon preparing them to be leaders of public schools. And, once again, I am delighted to report that children/semi-adults- have so much to say, so much to give, so much information processing to let us know that they truly understand what kind of world they live in. I have been renewed by emails and notes sent by parents, telling me that life's situations have influenced their assistance of their children in completing assignments e.g., "My husband passed away recently and I don't know how to fix the printer; so my son doesn't have his essay today." At the same time, in response to a "district writing assessment: 'Money is the root of all evil,' I found, while spending the weekend pouring through adolescent views of life as they saw it, that they have, on average, a very realistic, yet hopeful view of the world, and a true hope for mankind. That's exactly why I returned. When there is time (for the curriculum demands are profuse), I ask for dialogue or written response to questions that your website seems to provide for me just when I need it. I plan to use Sean Covey's Seven Habits..." as lead-ins for conversations among students.
I "found" you when searching for systems thinking, interdependent, globally-conscious Internet sites. I have been watching, reading for several months. My dissertation was devoted to research re how public school teachers might adopt applied systems processes such as dialogue to consensus and the design team process. Thanks you for provide a venue for continuous conversation, theory, practice, and values that seem to be important to the world's people. I just have to mention that during a wonderful trip to Belfast, NI, this past June, one in which I presented research at The Queen's University, I was so thrilled to stand in queues waiting for restaurants and being asked if I were an American. The northern Irish were so interested in our relationships with children and in teaching value systems that would work globally. What a treasure that you are doing the same. Thank you for your work. JP

How did we find each other?

[Rosa]

Judie, your students are blessed to have you.

How did we find each other?

I think our values did that good deed for us, and we trusted in them enough to follow their lead in revealing our like-minded thinking.

The questioning you have mentioned is such a rich practice for us all; and through the pleasurable company of this learning community we have we will continue to do so.

Keep us posted on your time with our youth!
Aloha e, a hui hou.