Education is More

From our first class on the goals of education to the weekly explorations, the phrase that kept coming to mind was EDUCATION IS MORE. It is a message that has been highlighted through out my MEd journey but I don't think I understood the need till Airin's students shared their stories. I can still remember vividly as one of her students stated that academics and identity don't usually mix in school. What a statement! How can we continue to separate a learner's mind from their body and soul, from who they are to what they are learning? Are we helping learners if we are only educating a part of them? The clip hopefully captures the concept that education is and can be more than our culture's definition. It goes from the personal to the community. I am grateful to the educators who shared their definitions on Twitter. They all influenced the final product. I was challenged by Palmer's comments of blaming reform, or lack there of, on others so I wanted to make sure to include a statement that required action, that didn't allow curriculum or systems to be a block for acting on the ideas presented. Maybe more so then anything it is a reminder to myself.

My Journey

As I started the new year I wrote a bucket list of items I wanted to achieve in 2015. Overall I had struggled through 2014 and I knew changes were necessary. I could never put my finger on it till our discussion about the soul and the need for nurturing. The question that was posed that night: what makes your soul sing? I looked back on my bucket list and they were all things that made my soul sing: learning, kids, family and friends, photography were all in there. I decided I needed to focus on it a bit more intently (the reason for the 28 notes of thanks).

There is so much more I could say and that I take away from this course. My notes alone for the clip would have made it a feature length movie but I knew it was important to keep it manageable. This clip may be more vulnerable and honest than most I have worked on but as the quote below emphasizes, understanding who we are and dealing with the matters of the soul is vital as an educator.

If I am willing to look in that mirror and not run from what I see, I have a chance to gain self knowledge - and knowing myself is as crucial to good teaching as knowing my students and my subject. The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer

Daily Reminders

As I read Dan Harris' book 10% Happier I felt I came to a better understanding of what mindfulness is and tips for practice. The waterfall and picture in picture analogy allowed me to see that often mindfulness is just taking that momentary step back, a pause. The RAIN acronym that Tara Brach introduced to Harris' helped me see that the stepping back is a little more complex then it sounds and has to come with noticing, accepting without judgement. That is why the clip ends with the word be. When the busy bee/worry wart self takes over, I hope as I scroll through my Instagram feed it will become a reminder for mindfulness and to get outside where I am most at peace. To respond to the situations at hand and not react.