Reply to: RE>Real Leadership LO7061
Paul,
Mixed in to your thoughts about teaching leadership are some ideas I don't
think I agree with.
While I'm not certain what you mean when you say "there can only be one
leader of the teacher variety", I do believe I comprehend the next
sentence about how in order to lead one must take responsibility.
In that terse paragraph of yours, you do not mention the fact that
students or associates must also have responsibility. The need for
responsibility is no less than that of the leader; it is commitment,
and--most importantly--intention. Without intention, a student may be
lost, directionless.
I believe many thinkers have considered this model of leader/teacher and
acolyte/student. Those who have left an impression on me describe a state
of symbiosis, and occasional catharsis. In this two-way interaction, not
only is there 'educare' and 'instruere' acting from teacher to student,
but from student back to teacher.
All those who share discourse on this list or who read only the
observations posted, and who also have taught others in a formal and
semi-formal situation as I have, may probably reflect on this exchange and
nod in understanding.
Even in those most boring classes on education theory taught years ago to
aspiring teachers like me, there was mention of dialog concepts before
dialog became a klassy kat idea.
And then there's that damn nagging idea of Love hanging out on the
periphery, content knowing that she's always in the equation even though
hardly mentioned. Lack of mention is usually the result of our intensity
in "real life", our inability in the moment to link this Great Energy with
everything else we adults do in our adult ways. In this I suffer no less
than you, Dear Reader.
On teaching and being a student, a poet wrote this quatrain many centuries
ago:
"I can break off from anyone
except that presence within.
Anyone can bring gifts.
Give me someone who takes away."
Best springtime regards,
-- Barry Mallis bmallis@markem.comLearning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>