This chapter really made me look at the way I interact with my colleagues on a daily basis. When Palmer said "the conventional norm of 'making nice' with each other, folded into the professional norm of competition, creates an ethos in which it feels dangerous to speak or listen" (Palmer, 2007, p. 154), I thought about a number of conversations I've had in various department offices, meetings and rooms throughout the last few years. Many others, and at times myself, neglect one of Palmer's "truths" stated as "the human soul does not want to be fixed, it simply wants to be seen and heard" (p. 156).
It is so easy to jump in and try to "fix" situational woes and complaints of co-workers. Once you've been in the "business" long enough, there are many scenarios you've been through that relate to the ongoing struggles of fellow teachers. There have been times when I've only wanted to vent and I was given unsolicited advice that I really didn't want to hear and conversely many situations where I've offered advice to someone when they didn't ask for it.
This chapter has really made me aware of that process and fueled a desire to remain a virtual "Switzerland" among the daily chatter we hear every single day in the world of education. I have much advice to give, but I plan to be more cautious I dispensing it without a prompt. I will also look to kindly say "thank you" and be polite when offered the seemingly endless barrage of advice given to me when I decide to share an intimate or vulnerable moment. I also need to make sure when I share those moments it is with someone who's advice I cherish and wish to hear if such advice is given to me.
Hopefully as our schools learn to embrace more collegiality and open discourse while dropping the overwhelming vibe of competition, I will be able to be less guarded in my sharing of personal, intimate and vulnerable experiences as an educator.
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There persists in schools that idea that once a teacher goes into "their" classroom they are the king of their own domain. I too hope for more collegiality and open discourse and a lot less competition and fragmentation.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about desiring only to vent but instead receiving unwanted advice made me think of Justin's choice of sharing "The Class." One scene captured that perfectly -- we saw it in class -- that teacher's understandable frustration reaching a boiling point. In a situation like that you would expect nothing less. How many other teachers in similar trying circumstances make a comfortable zone for themselves and really don't care enough to blow off steam once in a while? I thank God -- and my principal -- every day for the blessings of working in a wholly different environment. It can (almost) always be worse for those brave others.
ReplyDeleteMuch wisdom here Don...but neutrality? There's got to be something in between "this is what you're doing wrong" and disengagement.
ReplyDeleteNo soul-fixing man! The thing is already an image of God. But spiritual counsel, yes; always from deeply respectful space which recognizes the luminosity of a person in relationship with our God. I don't think that this is the same as advice.