Pete writes: "I must try to connect the language to the embodied meaning that might
lift these words off the page and give them a form of life that truly corresponds to
the lives we lead and the values we express through those lives."
Elearnor writes: "For me, it is a loving educational relation , between peers, between
teacher and student, or inwardly in spiritual practice, that enables my learning. The
inclusional flowing relation crossing between boundaries becomes an educational
influence, opens my mind, opens my eyes to see what I did not see before, creates
confidence to grasp the new. "
I am persuaded by Eleanor's doctoral thesis on Love at Work
at
http://people.bath.ac.uk/edsajw/lohr.shtml
that Eleanor does what she claims in her Abstract when she says:
"I judge the worth of my action and its loving dimension in silent reflective spiritual
practice. I also judge the worth of my action and its loving dimension in the feedback
I get from others. I set criteria that focus on seeking harmony and wholeness, and
which do not ignore challenge and difference. I argue that the creative dynamism
arising from difference is an important component of love at work.
I provide evidence for my claim in an account of current practice, through pictures,
drawings and a video clip, and it is further evidenced by the coherence of my writing
and the rigorous application of my own criteria against which I judge the worth of my
actions. My claim to truth can also be substantiated by my application of method, and
by situating my inquiry firmly within a post-modern narrative."
In judging my educational influence with world leading standards of judgment over
the course of this e-seminar I am holding Eleanor's meanings of love at work as a
world leading standard of judgment. As with the video-clip of Moira and the quality
of conviviality she expresses with her students and in her paper, I wish to be
accountable, in my knowledge-creation, to enhancing the flow of both love at work
and conviviality. Following Bernie Sullivan's lead in her living theory of a practice of
social justice at http://www.jeanmcniff.com/bernieabstract.html I am also holding
myself accountable, and ask you to hold me accountable, to enhancing the flow of
social justice. I am uncertain at present how many participants in the e-seminar
would like to join me in exploring how we are enhancing the flow of conviviality, love
at work and social justice, but I am hoping that you will let me know. I am also hoping
that you will share the values or standards of judgment or qualities of discernment
you think we~i (following Yaakub) should be using in evaluating our educational
influences in terms of world leading standards of judgment. To emphasise the
importance of love at work here is the signature I usually use in my e-mails:
Love Jack.
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When Martin Dobson, a colleague, died in 2002 the last thing he said to me
was 'Give my Love to the Department'. In the 20 years I'd worked with
Martin it was his loving warmth of humanity that I recall with great life
affirming pleasure and I'm hoping that in Love Jack we can share this
value of common humanity.
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