It is the end of incredibly long and rewarding day. I thought I would try write a poem and I hope it works OK. I want to share about the retreat here and the questions are great. Deep listening is a necessity. What that might look like in other settings is a challenge to explain, so I hope to let that idea percolate over the next couple of days.
Your courage is your truth;
It reveals your story
So necessary to tell
And be heard.
Listen carefully
Words tell a story;
Only shared
With deep listening.
Today, listen differently
Hear words anew;
Sacred space shared;
Human love fully recognized.
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope, nonviolence and its anticipatory relationship with the future, as essential elements to teaching and learning.
Academic publications can be found at Ivon Gile Prefontaine on ResearchGate
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Delightful, Ivon.
So many times words are spoken, and people respond. However; fewer are the times when words are spoken, and they are heard….
Thank you Carolyn. As I mature, I find I need to listen closer to both my heart and the other people speaking. It is hard work, but gratifying.
A good poem about communication – my passion. What I like is its simplicity – always hard to achieve…I get a bit tired of pretentiousness in poetry, so for me, this is real, and for that even stronger.
Thank you. Some of the simplicity was a product of tiredness. In this environment we are asked to be fully present for the one who is speaking. It is hard work to single-task like that and truly be focused.
YES, agree – the simplicity comment is very positive though. To me that is the best possible way, when we are able to mean what we say so easily. Of course what is said needs to be relevant also! I take your point – interesting.
You are welcome. Take care.
Always enjoy your posts. Your writing is always encouraging, thought provoking and interesting.
I like this very much. The sentiment is very import.
I appreciate that you found meaning in this poem.
Hi Ivon..
it is bold to speak up the truth..
it is noble to listen with respect..
it is bountiful to tell and share..
it is simply wonderful to join in and be here…
warmest regards to you Sir…
~ KeY
Thank you Katrina. Warmest regards back.