Teacher as Transformer

Posted on January 22, 2013 by ivonprefontaine

I can never pass up an opportunity to pass on Mary Oliver and her words of wisdom. She is a beautiful soul and poet. Her wisdom ad advice are always right on. At the end of the day, I can only save myself, but perhaps my example in this manner helps others.

Dr Bill Wooten

“One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice-
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations, though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen branches and stones.
but little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do-
determined to save
the only…

View original post 7 more words

12 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

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 and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.

View all posts by ivonprefontaine »

12 responses »

Alex Jones | January 22, 2013 at 1:54 pm

Build bridges for others, but allow them the choice to cross the bridge themselves.
- ivonprefontaine | January 22, 2013 at 2:07 pm
  
  That is such an apt way of putting it Alex. Thank you.
fgassette | January 22, 2013 at 2:11 pm

Thanks for sharing.

BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
- ivonprefontaine | January 22, 2013 at 2:15 pm
  
  I can never pass up a Mary Oliver poem. Everything she writes is special to me.
Sboychuk67 | January 22, 2013 at 2:44 pm

Wonderful timing 🙂 Thank you for sharing Ivon. Have a splendid day!

Sent from my iPhone
- ivonprefontaine | January 23, 2013 at 12:30 am
  
  I did and you are welcome Sue.
Lada Ray | January 23, 2013 at 5:24 am

The picture is amazing!!! 🙂
- ivonprefontaine | January 23, 2013 at 2:27 pm
  
  It is. It gives the poem extra vitality.
lvsrao | January 23, 2013 at 8:50 am

Beautiful poem. Inspiring one. Thank you for sharing.
- ivonprefontaine | January 23, 2013 at 2:26 pm
  
  You are welcome. Mary Oliver is a poet that I turn to frequently and find beauty and inspiration in her words and between the lines.
Holly | January 23, 2013 at 2:48 pm

Mary Oliver was a wise and insightful person, understanding that most everything we search for externally can be found within our own selves. This particular piece is a timely reminder to all of us, as we work our way through an ever-changing world…
- ivonprefontaine | January 24, 2013 at 12:41 am
  
  You are so right on all points Holly. I find my way back to Mary Oliver frequently and I am so glad that others enjoy her as much as I do.