Dear Sarah,
I am very moved by your insight. But I cannot download your later
message at home. So I will have to await monday or tuesday.
I am wondering if you might see your pain as 'doubling you up', in much the
same
way perhaps that pain has engendered the 'doublethink' of orthodox thought?
What I sometimes refer to as the 'double standard cross'? A lot to bear.
Warmest
Alan
----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah Fletcher <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 05 January 2007 20:16
Subject: Re: Feedback on Jack's video collage
Dear Alan, Jack and Everyone,
I have been thinking about the claim that Jack has made about his video
clips being 'world class'
and I completely agree that the clip of Alan demonstrating 'inclusionality'
is indeed 'world class'!
Others very likely are too, but I haven't been playing those over in my
mind's eye like Alan's one.
Why is it world class? Well, it helps me to understand and communicate
something that I couldn't
before; something that I've been considering so that I might work more
effectively as an educator.
When I became disabled in my thirties with back trouble it was like one fold
in the paper Alan is
holding. The disability was a nuisance but it didn't prevent me from being
in the classroom as a
teacher and although there has been pain in 25 years since my accident, I
have managed with it.
When Meniere's struck it was a second fold in the paper Alan is holding. A
very different kind of
disability and so the folds are not close together. I tried something this
afternoon. If you fold the
paper twice and open it out you cannot interact as inclusionally as you can
with even one fold in it.
The folds bring a static area that doesn't interact directly with either
hand holding the paper sides.
There is a new dynamic which makes interacting with the paper in a fluid way
much more difficult.
I conclude that I need to stop thinking about how I was before I had two
folds or even one fold and
learn how to interact with two folds and the static area by learning how to
develop new capability.
When people meet me they cannot see the folds of the disablement I have
though they may feel a
struggle as I try to interact with a body that doesn't want to and can no
longer work 'inclusionally'.
If I stop interacting as an educator or if I am excluded from interacting
the rigidity of the folds is
amplified. Keeping the folds interacting with one another and my hands,
maximises my potential.
My work in developing multi media in practitioner research enables me to
develop my flexibility.
Thank you Jack for sharing your video clip and Thank you Alan. I really
appreciate both your gifts,
Sarah
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