Marie,
It is good of you to force your research methodology - creating an
account which includes the evidence and explanation of the
educational influence of your work -, as well as a necessity to smile,
on others, me in this case.
The is your methodology and what you are doing. It is presently very
marginal and it is very likely to remain marginal, especially if it
remains focused on epistemology, instead of on ontology and if it does
not take into account Freire's point about dialogue, complementing,
completing and dialectical transforming reflection and the 'I''
obsession with itself.
What I, myself, am doing is a series of quantitaive and qualitative
research on my applied dialectical approach. My focus is on the
wellbeing of my participants and clients. Not on me. As I keep
saying, reflection has an expiry date of a few years. Practitioners
should be able to reflect on what they are doing. But they should
also know not to obsess with the me, me and me forever, and know to
have the phenomenological intentionality focused on their clients.
I tested my applied dialectical method on me and have now left the me
and moved to the others. And am incredible relieved that I managed to
do so.
Quoting Marie Huxtable <[log in to unmask]>:
> Hi Alon
> Good to hear that you:
>
>
> ... listen to teachers very carefully. Rather than telling them to
> smile or love, I let them speak freely, in a safe, comforting and
> secure space, about the things that frustrate them and make then
> unhappy and
> frown and their plans to be happier, more secured and fulfilled, and
> transform the situations that make them unhappy into fulfiness. And I
> absorb, cross-reference and research the material.
>
> I look forward to an account which includes the evidence and
> explanation of the educational influence of your work.
>
> I hope you enjoy today as a smile - should you choose to - and in
> whatever way works for you and others.
>
>
> Marie
>
>
>
>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Alon Serper <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Sent: Monday, 29 August 2011, 14:14
>> Subject: Re: How do i~we explain our educational influences in
>> learning to improve our educational influences as
>> practitioner-researchers within the social and other formations
>> that dynamically include us?
>>
>> We can say yes. Many teachers are wonderful.
>>
>> This is not the point.
>>
>> The point is that schools and institutes work within a system that
>> forces them to play the League Tables game. Schhols and institutes
>> are forced to choose easier exam boards. More 'capable' learners
>> are chosen to work with, at the expense of the 'weaker' learners
>> who are neglected.
>>
>> The question is, what do we do with this horrific, unfair system.
>> This could be political which leads to the question of politics and
>> education. I like Freire's input on that.
>>
>> Yes. I may be an academic who is mostly working to further develop
>> my applied dialectical method for ontology, psychology, therapy and
>> education. But I listen to teachers very carefully. Rather than
>> telling them to smile or love, I let them speak freely, in a safe,
>> comforting and secure space, about the things that frustrate them
>> and make then unhappy and frown and their plans to be happier, more
>> secured and fulfilled, and transform the situations that make them
>> unhappy into fulfiness. And I absorb, cross-reference and
>> research the material.
>>
>> Quoting Marie Huxtable <[log in to unmask]>:
>>
>>> Hi
>>> Like Brian I am excited by the focus that Jack is offering as such
>>> accounts make a positive contribution to enhancing the quality of
>>> the educational experience of children and young people. Like
>>> Alon I get frustrated and want to fight but I have found frowning
>>> does not improve a frustrating experience, it just spreads storm
>>> clouds and misery. That is not to say that I do nothing. I try
>>> (even though I often fail) to do as Gandhi said: 'Be the change
>>> you want to see in the world'.I have found encouraging and
>>> supporting teachers to research their practice as living theory
>>> researchers, and to create and offer freely as gifts to the
>>> profession, multimedia narratives to explain their educational
>>> influences, does improve children's educational experience of
>>> school. Drawing on the Masters work of educators (who actually
>>> live and work amongst the league tables) I can say YES to the
>>> questions Alon offers:
>>> * Has this individual learner become a happier person, more confident,
>>> more open up, easier to interact with, more secured and less frustrated
>>> and angry?
>>> * Has his/her ability to engage with incoming material and
>>> critically analyse it improved significantly?
>>> * Is this individual on the right track to fulfil his/her abilities?
>>> They also offer evidence of generative and transformational
>>> responses I can learn from to a question I find useful:
>>>
>>> * How do I hold open and enhance educational relationships,
>>> space and opportunities within the constraints and contexts which
>>> I experience as contradictions to my values?Their accounts can
>>> be accessed from http://actionresearch.net/ I hope you might have
>>> a look and find one that elicits something generative and
>>> transformational for you.
>>>
>>>
>>> As I engage with their accounts (legitimised by the Academy) I
>>> experience as humanising the smiles and love they evoke. I agree
>>> Brian, it is not as good as being with them but it does give me
>>> an opportunity to learn from and with people I cant be with. I
>>> hope that other people on this list might follow Jack and offer
>>> freely as a gift -
>>>
>>>> ... brief visual narratives that focus on the meanings of [y]our desires:
>>>
>>>>
>>> "To contribute to the development of knowledge and understanding in
>>> all fields of education, characterising all work with values arising
>>> from hope and love."
>>>
>>> I live in hope - and with love - and with a smile inside which I
>>> hope to communicate through the papers for BERA.
>>>
>>> Marie
>>>
>>>
>>>> ________________________________
>>>> From: Alon Serper <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>> Sent: Monday, 29 August 2011, 10:57
>>>> Subject: Re: How do i~we explain our educational influences in
>>>> learning to improve our educational influences as
>>>> practitioner-researchers within the social and other formations
>>>> that dynamically include us?
>>>>
>>>> Is that what you are planning to say to the teachers and
>>>> educators who and whose teaching abilities and practices are
>>>> being diagnosed and determined according to League Tables as
>>>> opposed to individuals' qualitative transformations as individual
>>>> autonomous human beings and learners. By this transformation on
>>>> the part of individuals I mean,
>>>>
>>>> Has this individual learner become a happier person, more
>>>> confident, more open up, easier to interact with, more secured
>>>> and less frustrated and angry?
>>>>
>>>> Has his/her ability to engage with incoming material and
>>>> critically analyse it improved significantly?
>>>>
>>>> Is this individual on the right track to fulfil his/her abilities?
>>>>
>>>> Instead we need to meet and fulfil arbitrary League Tables or perish.
>>>>
>>>> Resisting and frowning angainst this unjust dehumanisation and
>>>> fighting and improving this very frustrating situation is more
>>>> important than ideal talk about smiles or love.
>>>>
>>>> Quoting Jack Whitehead <[log in to unmask]>:
>>>>
>>>>> Dear Brian (and all),
>>>>>
>>>>> What I'd like to do, in a couple of weeks after the British
>>>>> Educational Research Association conference, is to post the urls
>>>>> to some short video-clips of the BERA presentations from the
>>>>> list below from members of the practitioner-researcher group of
>>>>> the Centre for the Child and Family of Liverpool Hope
>>>>> University, with brief visual narratives that focus on the
>>>>> meanings of our desires:
>>>>>
>>>>> "To contribute to the development of knowledge and
>>>>> understanding in all fields of education, characterising all
>>>>> work with values arising from hope and love." (This is a
>>>>> purpose of the Faculty of Education of Liverpool Hope
>>>>> University).
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm working with an understanding of philosophy as loving wisdom
>>>>> and I'm hoping to be able to clarify and communicate some
>>>>> meanings of knowing relationally that can be included in loving
>>>>> wisdom in educational relationships and explanations of
>>>>> educational influence.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm hoping to share meanings of values arising from hope and
>>>>> love as explanatory principles in explanations of educational
>>>>> influences in learning that can be understood as 'Knowing
>>>>> Relationally'.
>>>>>
>>>>>> But I can only
>>>>>> really know
>>>>>> by being present
>>>>>> experiencing
>>>>>> the seminar
>>>>>> relationally.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Love Jack.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 28 Aug 2011, at 21:39, Brian wakeman wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Knowing Relationally
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm very interested
>>>>>> in this idea of
>>>>>> 'knowing relationally'.
>>>>>> I can't be at BERA
>>>>>> in September,
>>>>>> so I cannot know directly
>>>>>> about how
>>>>>> the seminar goes.
>>>>>> I can coldly know
>>>>>> through statistical figures
>>>>>> about attendance
>>>>>> which doesn't satisfy.
>>>>>> I cannot judge
>>>>>> the value
>>>>>> by numbers.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I can read
>>>>>> others' accounts,
>>>>>> and enter vicariously
>>>>>> into their portrayal
>>>>>> of the ideas, the mood,
>>>>>> the interactions,
>>>>>> the energy flow.
>>>>>> But I can only
>>>>>> really know
>>>>>> by being present
>>>>>> experiencing
>>>>>> the seminar
>>>>>> relationally.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> rom: Jack Whitehead <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, 28 August 2011, 19:53
>>>>>> Subject: Re: How do i~we explain our educational influences in
>>>>>> learning to improve our educational influences as
>>>>>> practitioner-researchers within the social and other
>>>>>> formations that dynamically include us?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Do have a look at the updates on Jacqueline Delong?s
>>>>>> spanglefish web-site at :
>>>>>> http://www.spanglefish.com/ActionResearchCanada/ in the
>>>>>> Bluewater Master?s Cohort in Ontario, Canada at:
>>>>>> http://www.spanglefish.com/ActionResearchCanada/index.asp?pageid=255602
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The latest posting is from Cathy Griffin on:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How can I improve my Practice by Living my Values of Love,?>
>>>>>> Trust and Authenticity more fully?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Abstract:?> The investigator in this action research study set
>>>>>> out to improve her relationships with others by undertaking a
>>>>>> three-part action research project. First, she employed a
>>>>>> wellness approach to restoring balance in her life by
>>>>>> improving her fitness and developing mindfulness. Second, she
>>>>>> reflected on the impact of key incidents in her childhood ?
>>>>>> specifically childhood sexual abuse. Lastly, she employed a
>>>>>> conflict management?> strategy. Data was collected in the
>>>>>> form of journals, video journals,?> personal communication and
>>>>>> video recorded conversations with critical friends and a
>>>>>> validation group. Through the process of action and refection
>>>>>> cycles and with the help of others, the investigator was able
>>>>>> to identify her core values as love, trust and authenticity.
>>>>>> Furthermore, she was able to gather evidence of her values in
>>>>>> practice, her educational ?> influence and record changes in
>>>>>> her self-concept over the
>>> course of the project.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> *************
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If you are attending the 2011 British Educational Research
>>>>>> Association Annual at the Institute of Education of the
>>>>>> University of London 6-8th September you might like to support
>>>>>> the presentations of the following members of our
>>>>>> practitioner-researcher e-forum. Je Kan Adler-Collins is
>>>>>> coming over from Fukuoka University in Japan to present his
>>>>>> ongoing research in Japan and China:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> JeKan Adler-Collins 06-Sep-2011 11:15-12:30 Room 646
>>>>>> Eye of the tiger: times of transition and change in nurse
>>>>>> education in China
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Je Kan Adler-Collins 06-Sep-2011 09:55-11:10 Room 801
>>>>>> Integrating the excluded middle: empowering middle aged
>>>>>> Japanese women to return to higher education through the
>>>>>> medium of community health promotion programme of holistic
>>>>>> touch therapy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sonia Hutchison 06-Sep-2011 09:55-11:10 Room 801
>>>>>> How can I improve my practice as a Chief Executive working
>>>>>> with carers and their families creating my living theory of
>>>>>> mindfulness and learning?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Joan Walton 07-Sep-2011 09:00-10:30 Room Nunn Hall
>>>>>> Developing a collaborative inquiry partnership between a
>>>>>> university and a local authority to improve the wellbeing of
>>>>>> children.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Main Conference Parallel Session 2: Transforming educational
>>>>>> knowledge through practitioner-research.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Nigel Harrisson 07-Sep-2011 09:00-10:30 Room Drama
>>>>>> How can I continue to improve my practice as a manager and a
>>>>>> leader in children's services at a time of transformational
>>>>>> change?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Marie Huxtable 07-Sep-2011 09:00-10:30 Room Drama
>>>>>> How do I improve what I am doing with a living theory praxis?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Chris Jones 07-Sep-2011 09:00-10:30 Room Drama
>>>>>> How can I continue to improve my practice as a Senior Inclusion Officer?
>>>>>> *****************
>>>>>> Jack Whitehead 07-Sep-2011 09:00-10:30 Room 539
>>>>>> Developing a relationally dynamic epistemology for educational
>>>>>> knowledge.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Marie Huxtable 07-Sep-2011 13:30-15:00 Room Drama Studio
>>>>>> How do I contribute to improving educational relationships,
>>>>>> space and opportunities?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Marie Huxtable 08-Sep-2011 08:30-10:00 Room Nunn Hall
>>>>>> Generative and transformational forms of evaluation and
>>>>>> accountability of educational practice.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Joan Walton 07-Sep-2011 13:30-15:00 Room Nunn Hall
>>>>>> Developing Boyer's idea of a new scholarship with early years
>>>>>> practitioners through collaborative inquiry and living theory.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ****************
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Do please send on any urls to your own work that you would like
>>>>>> to see added to our archives.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> When Martin Dobson, a colleague in the Department of Education
>>>>> at the University of Bath, 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.
>>>>>
>>>>> Professor Jack Whitehead
>>>>> Liverpool Hope University
>>>>> Hope Park
>>>>> Liverpool L16 9JD Email: [log in to unmask]
>>>>> Web: http://www.actionresearch.net
>>>>>
>>>>> Visiting Fellow, University of Bath.
>>>>>
>>>>> See the Educational Journal of Living Theories (EJOLTS) at:
>>>>> http://ejolts.net/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>>
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