Monthly Archives: December 2012

Poetry Beckons

Posted on December 21, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

As I drove to work this morning, I reflected on the comments shared on the post I Dwell in Possibility. The car is a tough place to write and I hurriedly got into the classroom and pulled my notebook out. I sat with the reflections during the day as they bubbled near the surface. Writing poetry is a space I needed and find comfort in as the school year unfolded. I find solace in the poetry and the unlikely moments it beckons.

in unlikely moments,

poetry beckons–

pulls me to her side–

she is a different lover–

no carnal, siren calls,

a modest, unobtrusive presence,

a compassionate companion whispers,

come hither friend–

sit, reflect–

here, realize refuge–

close your eyes

open your heart

observe,

pause,

discern an inaudible voice

ask, what moves the soul

animates a weary spirit,

urges the writer on,

words find paper.

17 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged creativity, Mindful Practice, poetry, teacher as transformer, writing poetry. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 20, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Thank you Mike for a great quote from Martin Luther King and image to begin today.

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I Dwell in Possibility

Posted on December 20, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Emily Dickinson wrote this beautiful poem. With questions, I dwell in possibility. Poetry calls gently to me, leaves a space that I can peer into, and observe that which moves my soul. Without questions, there would be no answers and no certainty. That seems odd and paradoxical, but seems very real to me. Questions allow me real faith and a belief in those things I cannot touch. They are there and I know they are.

I dwell in Possibility–
A fairer House than Prose–
More numerous of Windows–
Superior–for Doors–

Of Chambers as the Cedars–
Impregnable of Eye–
And for an Everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky–

Of Visitors–the fairest–
For Occupation–This–
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise–

15 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged creativity, eloquent questions, Emily Dickinson, Mindful Practice, poetry, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 19, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Bill wrote this for the people at Sandy Hook. I think it applies to each of us at times when we feel down and out. Allow our self to be.

Dr Bill Wooten

“Allow yourself to dream,
And when you do dream big

Allow yourself to learn
And when you do learn all you can

Allow yourself to laugh
And when you do share your laughter

Allow yourself to set goals
And when you do reward yourself as you move forward

Allow yourself to be determined
And when you do you will find you will succeed

Allow yourself to believe in yourself
And when you do you will find self-confidence

Allow yourself to lend a helping hand
And when you do a hand will help you.

Allow yourself relaxation
And when you do you will find new ideas.

Allow yourself love
And when you do you will find love in return

Allow yourself to be happy
And when you do you will influence others around you.

Allow yourself to be positive
And when you do life will get easier.”

~ Catherine Pulsifer

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Questions

Posted on December 19, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Questions, real questions, are scary. They need me to face the unknown. What don’t I understand? It is easy to chase real questions away and deal with the easy ones.

Each day I ask:

What is my question?”

What wonder is there?

Can I live curiously?

Can I touch my questions?

Be honest,

Be awake,

Open my heart.

Refuse false questions–

Those I obsessively chase,

Leave me unfulfilled,

Sullied and dirty.

Real questions raise turmoil—

They cause fear–

Am I ready?

Can I navigate turbulent,

Uncharted seas?

Can I delve deeper?

Lay a foundation–

Not on sand;

On rock;

Where I am grounded.

14 Comments

Posted in Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged conversational journey, creativity, eloquent questions, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 18, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

This is beautiful. Thank you Simon.

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Blog of the Year Stars 4, 5, and 6

Posted on December 17, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I thank Tiny at Tiny Lessons Blog, Renee at Positive Boomer, and My Pen and Me for providing the last three stars for my blog for “Blog of the Year 2012” award. I am grateful for this generous honour and the people who follow Teacher as Transformer. It is a reflective, creative, and transformative journey. This is a result of the wonderful blogs I discover along the way, the support I receive from that community, and from the more immediate community of my day-to-day life.

I know I will miss some bloggers who deserve this award and I know others do not accept awards. To the first group, I apologize and, to the second group, I am deeply grateful for your contributions.

The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

Select another blog or other blogs who deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award;
Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award;
Include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award at the Thought Palette and provide these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)
Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them
You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience
As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

There are stars to collect! Yes, there are stars to collect!

Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!

When you begin you will receive the 1 star award, and every time you are given the award by another blog, you can add another star! There are total of 6 stars to collect.

You can check out your favourite blogs, and even if they have already been given the award by someone else, you can still award them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

For more information check FAQ on The Thought Palette

The blogs I follow are truly an eclectic group, but they share one thing: they each bring joy into my life on a daily basis. Here are the bloggers and their sites I would like to nominate:

Nizy’s Life Compendium

The Obamacrat

LaDona’s Music Studio

1 Earth United

The World According to Dina

Lvsrao’s Blog

Pat Wood Blogging

The Future is Papier Mache

Francine in Retirement

Lizzie Joy’s Photo Suite

ABC of Spirit Talk

Lyrics and Sentiments

Waiting for the Karma Truck

Retiree Diary

One Hot Mess

Elisa Ruland

The Other Side of Ugly

The Secret Keeper

4 Writers and Readers

Marsha Lee

67 Comments

Posted in Awards, Blogging, Community and tagged awards, blogging, community, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 17, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

This is a beautiful reminder of what is important in life. It resonated deeply after last week. The purpose of schools, communities, and other social institutions is to bring us together rather than polarize.

Otrazhenie

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What Can I Do?

Posted on December 16, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

It has been an extraordinarily sad day and that was clear in the blogs I follow. A profound sense of sorrow and loss echoed through the digital world. What was extraordinary was the sense what has happened in Connecticut needs to end. This centred on the question: “What can I do?” I think we can do much, but the change begins with us and moves out. As I take my weekly pause, I want to give some thought to what can I do?

On a sombre day–

Grief and sorrow the order,

A message heard:

Change begins in me.

I am a catalyst

I look inside:

Call forth a gentle spirit–

Give it voice.

In light, love happens–

Resonates,

Reaches out its hand

Beckons others join.

Rings on clearest pond,

Ripples of love touch,

Right cascades forth,

Good people meet.

Good touches good,

Prayer meets prayer,

Love conquers hate

Join together.

Good people summoned–

Their tears catalyze,

Grieve and heal as one,

We are change.

Be a community–

It is not a distant loss:

It is our loss–

Feel it.

Small change is ours–

We each contribute,

Love multiplies:

Heals the world.

19 Comments

Posted in Community, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Sabbath, Social Justice and tagged community, creativity, eloquent questions, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, sorrow and loss, spirituality, stewardship, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 15, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Over the past day or so, I have listened to people talk about what they can do in the wake of yesterday’s tragedy. We can only change ourselves. As we make that change, the world around us might change along with us. What are we willing to change in our self for the purpose of making the world better and safer for our children?

J. Ricci Energy