Dear Jack and Everyone,

I have started a new strand because I offer you this very detailed feedback on your video collage at 
http://www.jackwhitehead.com/jack/jwyoutubeimages3.htm I hope that you will find it is useful:

In answer to your question Are we co-creating world leading standards of judgement in our 
enquiries as educational practitioner-researchers as we work at contributing to the generation of a 
world of educational quality?  I offer you my gift. This is a commentary on the clips I have watched: 
 

Last week I picked up the text that I have been looking forward to reading for some time but never 
quite got round to .. and once I picked it up and started to read, I couldn’t put it down!  Do you 
ever come across an enthralling text like that?  It’s wonderful isn’t it? I feel so drawn to Michel 
Foucault’s work in ‘Fearless Speech’ (published in 2002) My reading influences comments I offer. 
Having read this text which comprises edited audio extracts I am coming to appreciate the Greek 
notion of parrhesia has a vital role to explain how and more importantly who can offer a critique.

Parrhesia is defined by Foucault as 

‘a verbal activity in which a speaker expresses his personal relationship to truth, and risks his life 
because he recognizes truth-telling as a duty to improve or help other people (as well as himself). 
In parrhesia, the speaker uses his freedom and chooses frankness instead of persuasion, truth 
instead of falsehood or silence, the risk of death instead of life and security, criticism instead of 
flattery, and moral duty instead of self-interest and moral apathy."

Simply speaking what one perceives as the truth (and in the Greek sense this obviously does not 
carry the much later Cartesian obligation to provide evidence) may not qualify as 'parrhesia'.  
(Positive) Parrhesia is speaking as a subordinate to a superior and it carries with an implicit risk 
but a speaker necessarily feels obliged to speak out because he feels morally obliged to do so.  

So – how does parrhesia figure in the way I am going to give feedback on Jack’s collage of video 
clips i.e. as Moira suggests and Jack invited?  Jack is the convener of this list and he is also the 
artistic creator of the collage of clips.  I hold his position in respect. Because I do so and because I 
believe that his search for genuine feedback i.e. not mere flattery should be honoured, I will give 
such detailed feedback as my time allows me here.  I haven't held back on voicing my impressions. 

Firstly, Jack asks us:  As you look at the clips I am wondering if you recognise the expression of 
embodied values, skills and understandings you are also working to bring more fully into the 
world? Yes, I do so. In my minds eye the images are not photo still thumbnails but since I have 
watched and reflected on each one they appear to move within each frame and within the 
boundaries of each thumbnail.  I particularly appreciated Alan’s demonstration with the piece of 
paper and how creasing it changed the dynamic of the sides of the paper interacting not only with 
one another but also with a person holding the paper in his hands.  As I watch loom at the collage 
of stills as thumbnails I am changed by the content and the filming of each clip.  I no longer see a 
set of stills juxtaposed but a moving interacting jigsaw of shape, space and colour. How exciting!

Let me return to Jack’s question and speak in parrhesia in response: 

As you look at the clips I am wondering if you recognise the expression of embodied values, skills 
and understandings you are also working to bring more fully into the world? No I don’t.  (I am not 
being a Living Contradiction) How can it be that I can simultaneously recognize and not recognize 
expressions Jack suggests? When I think about who videoed the clip of Je Kan and of Pete I feel a 
sense of relatedness as Moira suggests but also as sense of loss. Why is this?  Well, I shot those 
video clips and I was framed that scene of conviviality where Jacquie celebrated at her graduation 
through the lens. I feel a sense of loss because my loving eye as photographer is not mentioned.
I feel great pleasure in watching the clip of the gathering for Jacquie’s graduation but I cannot say 
'objectively' if I see values skills and understandings Jack invites as I am still so joyfully savouring 
the memory of being present.  In other words I cannot detach my vivid memories of enjoying the 
event to say if the clip shows the conviviality that I recall – but yes – it certainly reminds me of it.

In the clip of Je Kan I am struck by the warmth of Jackie Scholes Rhodes’ smile at Je Kan. She is 
teasing out what he manes (I remember this part well and how we discussed it after the seminar) 
and kindly supporting him as he prepares to face the transfer seminar. As a research mentor I very 
much value Jackie’s skills as a coach here. She asks probing questions that assist Je Kan in 
defining his meanings. The parrhesiastic aspect?  Do you have Jackie’s permission to post up on 
YouTube? Ethically, you should check with her.  Again I think you must cite the photographer too.

A clip of Marie next.  I am drawn to your welcoming hand movements. Marie but sadly I struggle 
to hear the audio track on the video clip – could you add a text strap to the footage? I would very 
much like to be able to engage with the words you are speaking because with your position as a 
practitioner researcher with students in schools I would like to learn more about how you engage. 
Also - it might be an idea at future conferences to have two cameras in operation – one on a trip 
offering an overview and one hand held for close up shots – I find that dual video approach useful.

I was drawn, Moira, to the warmth of your engagement with your students and similarly with their 
reaction to your engagement.  It was fascinating watching the video first to see how you used a 
non-verbal engagement – with warmth and kindness in your expression and then to watch your 
students. Some walk by, some react and one in particular; a girl to whom you speak at the end 
radiates such excitement that you have picked her out.  It’s a wonderful encounter and I value it!

In Jack’s engagement with Yaakub, I sense great friendship as well as a tutor/student engagement 
– this to me typifies the master educator at work where Jack became a student and a student, a 
master teacher. Yet again I have problems with the sound track. I can understand what Yaakub is 
saying but during and at the end of the clip Jack’s laughter occludes (almost) what I sense is a 
crucial comment from an observer. The video filming is excellent in this clip – I appreciate the 
circling of the camera person as it shows the incongruous context of the conversation! There is 
something very special in this clip for me – I see a very different Yaakub from the Paulus we often 
saw defending his ideas aggressively. There is engagement and delight when he is teaching Jack.

The clip of Jean taking about the funded work with teachers in South Africa is so special!  For me, 
this of all the clips I watched that Jack has brought together shows a truly outstanding educator at 
work and I am awestruck by her capacity to inspire and inform in a lively and invitational way.  In 
answer to Jack’s question – wholeheartedly I can easily recognise the expression of many of the 
embodied values, skills and understandings I am also continuing my work to bring more fully into 
the world after some thirty years enjoying the company of teachers. I see more than this though. I 
see Jean embodying skills that I don’t aspire to but that I recognize are essential to education.  I 
don’t fund raise but I can appreciate an expert fundraiser in action and how without Jean’s skill 
the project would founder. ( I wonder if it is possible to establish video conferencing between St 
Mary’s and S. Africa? Could the teachers co-research mentor one another in some way in future?)

I very much appreciate how Jean explores the ethics of using video in sessions and the need for 
prior agreement.  What would Jean have done if any of the people present had nominally agreed to 
be videoed and then when the video swung on to them asked for filming to stop? This situation 
faced me at bath on one occasion when I had permission to video but was then asked to destroy 
the video I had taken because the person videoed was unhappy about how they had spoken about 
their practice?  Using video raises ethical questions including copyright issues as I've mentioned 
I do like how Jean invites the group to engage in action research alongside her at the beginning of 
the conference at St Mary’s College.  Her clarity in setting out how to do action research is second 
to none! I value your expertise evident in a fluent modeling as a way to improve my own practice.

Jack’s clip at the Ontario College where he explains the many benefits of self study in collecting 
useful data brings back a wealth of happy memories  – this is a such a key clip as it is the Jack I 
have seen in action in many different contexts – I have the feeling that we could video Jack in 
action in many different conferences and the mode of expression changes little. This capacity to 
reiterate as if for the first time something that is heartfelt and so well polished is a talent that Jack 
possesses and uses so skillfully.  Jack's continuity evidentially works as he draws enthusiastic 
students to engage around him - as he so obviously does in audiences throughout the World.

Jack, I must be honest and I speak in parrhesia here – I don’t much like the clip of you talking on 
ubuntu.  It’s a lack of interaction I perceive from the audience. I don’t see excitement that brings 
students alive in your sessions and with much respect the video quality is rather poor. Could you 
not use this video content in your text and find another clip?  Another point too – I think you have 
chosen far too many clips to show. There isn’t a clear road map between them and linear minds 
need one. It’s all very well saying you are excited in bringing the clips together – this is frequently 
the case for an editor assembling clips for a website but I think you’ll need to consider the impact 
on your audience more.  Watching clips is tiring and I would suggest you select no more than nine.

Ram’s clip brings such happy memories of working with him – Ram’s lively facial expressions and 
humour spring out from this clip and I love the way he asks You know what I learnt from this? And 
answers it. This is a clip I would definitely include in any final selection on your paper – because 
Ram has the capacity to move from the here and how to the metaphysical in a seamless and loving 
continuum that sings out! If I had to choose one clip that embodies the conviviality you invited us 
to consider in relation to your gallery it would be this one.  Ram does not rehearse or reiterate 
what he says but speaks from his depth of his being.  He is a natural communicator who genuinely 
values others. You ask if I see qualities I seek to embody in my mentoring?  Yes, I do – right here!

I can hear some of what Nigel is saying but he doesn’t project his voice on this occasion or engage 
in strong eye contact. The film needs further editing to make it clearer an have impact. The first 
part is too shaky and it is distracting watching someone struggling with a water bottle and taking 
time to settle.  I would re-cut this clip, Jack – but I am not convinced I would retain it. This is not 
to say it doesn’t have some intrinsic value but that as an editor sometimes offering less is better.

Eden and Alan’ clip is a wonderful treasure!  Most of all I warm to Eden’s gentle, persistent and 
knowledgeable critique of Alan’s planned broadcast.  Alan’s body language attracts me to reflect 
on how he feels about the advice Eden is giving.  There is curiosity and yet shyness it seems to 
me, which is quite charming and I have feeling of being a privileged onlooker invited to be present 
as a fly on the wall in a very moving private conversation.  Who took the video clip?  It is 
sensitively filmed and complements what is being said. It’s wonderful to see how Alan picks up 
and runs with the rill that Eden has offered him. It’s enthralling to me as a mentor to see how Eden 
brings back Alan from paroxysms of laughter to focus on the subject in view – the radio broadcast 

I offer you my commentary on the clips as a small gift this January morning - it's late but I wanted 
to write this.  Commenting has been a gift for me too – ths opportunity to engage with another 
educator’s video colleague is a treat. I will seek to embody in my own practice what I have learnt.

‘the truth of the parrhesiatic discourse discloses is the truth of someone’s life i.e. the kind of 
relation someone has to truth; how he constitutes himself (herself!) as someone who has to know 
the truth through mathesis and how this relation to truth is ontologically and ethically manifest in 
his own life’ Foucault (edited by Joseph Pearson) 2002:102

Warm regards,

 Sarah