Dear Geisha,
Thank you for this, message, which I feel brings out what it really means to be a 'living I' in a turbulent world!
Warmest
Alan
----- Original Message -----
From: geisha rebolledo
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 5:49 PM
Subject: Re: Introduction
Dear Kathy,Alan, jack and group,
I apologyze for been absent from this iteresting discussions for a long time. Life here in Caracas is so complicated that it is difficult to keep on with a systematic activity like reading and answering mails. We have had shortages of electricity for a while !!!( this is just a small example) . Also the end of the semester at the Pedagogic University, UPEL, where I work is very energy demanding specially with a 100 pregraduate students and two Doctoral Students tutoring .... However, if I may say , I find Kathy ´s research very important for us as teachers. In recent years I have seen many colegues passed away with sicknesses that from my point of view had to do with stress and the life style we are forced to have here, specially women . So how could we produce or write about our experiences if we are limited by an environment that might be unhelpful for creativity ? Yes Kathy we need to fight for our peace of mind first in order to be healthy. Our health is the main point, how could we give to our students if we have no health ? I have understood this for more than ten years now. Hence, since around 2000 I try alternative methods like meditation,Bio dance, Delphins therapy, discussion groups on books,gardening, pets, etc. That helps me to keep going and to gain energy to give to my students. That, I agree is the main part for us as teachers, to become an human been not just a lecturer!!! Thanks, Greetings, geisha
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Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:55:57 -0500
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Introduction
To: [log in to unmask]
Dear Group,
My name is Jodi Bergland Holen. I teach action research to masters and doctoral students at the University of North Dakota. I also do action research with North Dakota science teachers as a part of a NSF grant. This work has enabled many teachers to improve practice and student learning at their various schools and in the State of North Dakota. I have worked with principals, superintendents and classroom teachers as well as nurses and people in other health related fields.
We are interested in venues wherein our students can present the results of their respective studies in the spring. ICTR has been mentioned. When we are up and running again, I would like to banter ideas within this forum. I enjoy reading the comments thus far. This is just a quick intro as we are already starting the fall semester n Monday! Yikes! Bye for now.
Jodi
On 08/12/10, Alan Markowitz <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hello Kathy,
We conduct action research projects as a required capstone experience within our MA in Special Education. Many of our projects focus on efforts to improve the quality of learning for individual children, using a case stuy model with qualitative research methodologies. We find that our graduate students prosper from this approach and have made it a part of their teaching each year. I would be more than happy to share our model and some of their work.
Collegially,
Alan
Dr. Alan Markowitz
Director, Graduate Programs in Education
The College of St. Elizabeth
(973) 290-4328
On Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 10:14 PM, Kathy Bauman <[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
Hello Dr Whitehead and all of the e-seminar participants,
I would like to introduce myself to you. Its taken me awhile to respond as I wasn't sure if I qualify to participate. I am doing an action research project but at a Masters level. I am 39 years old and live in Hanover, Ontario, Canada. I am a teacher for the Bluewater District School Board. I was in a junior level classroom in a small country elementary public school. Three years ago I studied special education and became the learning resource teacher for a large (just over 500 students) elementary ( are students are ages 4 to 12) public school in my community. I am working on my Masters of Education with Brock University.
My action research project will hopefully change my life but I don't know if it would contribute to the creation of living theory.
Are you familiar with Dr William Purkey's work on invitational education? Our last course was with a colleague of his named Dr John Novak. What I learned is changing my thinking about myself as an educator. I learned that I matter, not just my work. He said good teaching takes energy so take care of yourself. That is an aspect of life I have neglected.
What Dr Jackie Delong taught me rocked my very foundations as she wanted to hear my voice and valued what I had to say!
My research question is, can I improve my professional practice by being personally inviting with myself? In my head the question is more blunt but I don't know if it is appropriate to be blunt in a major research paper: Can I contribute more to the education of my students by caring for and about myself?
I am concerned that if I do not change my feelings about myself and how I do my practice; I will not be here much longer. I have significantly and negatively impacted my health by thinking that my work as a teacher was more important than anything else, that I myself had very little value. I have thought that my only value in the world was as a teacher in the public school system. My identity was strictly tied to how I felt I was doing at work and how those in the work setting interacted with me. I could be destroyed by words and actions of others at work because that was the only thing that really held value for me I wanted to be valued and cared about at work. I am a workaholic and have been very proud of my level of commitment to my job. We work with children. We can fill them with hope, a joy for learning, and invite them to believe in their potential. I believe heart and soul what is written on the plaque by my desk, “A hundred years from now... it will not matter what my bank account was, what sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”( Kathy Davis, 1993) What could be more important? And yet, what will I be offering to the education of students if I am no longer healthy enough to work? I need to learn how to care for myself and give from the overflow of my energy. This is the basis of my context and the concern that fuels my research.
I am not well read yet so if what I have written makes you think of articles or books I should read I'd welcome that information.
If you are interested, I would be happy to send you some details on the project to date.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Kathy Bauman
On 28-Jul-10, at 4:58 PM, Jack Whitehead wrote:
Welcome to Alfred Kitawi from Strathmore University in Kenya, Kathy Bauman and Encarna Martinez an educator from Spain who join the e-seminar today.
Dear Alfred, Kathy and Encarna - when you are ready do please share your research interests in the e-seminar. Looking forward to your contributions. Jack.
--
Jodi Bergland Holen, PhD
Assistant Professor, Book Review Editor
College of Education and Human Development
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND 58202
701.777.6705
