I wonder if I do enough. Is there more that I can do? Certainly, I discover the seed Mary Oliver referred to in quiet moments of meditation. What can I do so it grows and I move beyond indolence? Yesterday, a former student visited. He is a success story in my career, a young man who was disengaging from school in late elementary. His parents supported our efforts and the result was a high school graduate, a married man with two children, and he is headed to Africa for work.
He reminded me through his visit that I had done more than talk the good story. We sowed the seed and it flourished.
Meditation is old and honorable, so why should I
not sit, every morning of my life, on the hillside,
looking into the shining world? Because, properly
attended to, delight, as well as havoc, is suggestion.
Can one be passionate about the just, the
ideal, the sublime, and the holy, and yet commit
to no labor in its cause? I don’t think so.
All summations have a beginning, all effect has a
story, all kindness begins with the sown seed.
Thought buds toward radiance. The gospel of
light is the crossroads of — indolence, or action.
Be ignited, or be gone.
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 
Beautiful poem! I am re-embarking on a career in education. This time in abroad, in Myanmar. I am excited to get back into the classroom. I will be teaching 3rd grade – new for me as I have only taught HS and Community College. I am excited to not only be ignited, but to ignite the spark. Thank you for a lovely post, I look forward to reading more.
Gretchen, thank you for connecting. You get to do what you love and in a new setting. I imagine that is incredibly stimulating and I feel the enthusiasm in your comment. I look forward to following your blog as you re-embark on this part of a new journey.
I love that last sentence sooo much!
It is a great one and reminds me that the passion we bring is critical.
Hi Ivon,
I was wondering if you had an email address that I could contact you about contributing to a book on blessing that a colleague and I are writing?
Have A great evening
Tina
Thank you Tina. You can contact me at ehd1@shaw.ca. I look forward to collaborating in any way possible.
I thought your piece very encouraging.>KB
I am grateful that it found a space for you. Take care and hav a great day.
You do so as well. Thank you.KB
I love “sowing” to young hearts and minds and what a bliss it is to reap.. You remind me of my teachers.
It is bliss to harvest the good crop. It is what brings me back to work each day for now.
I will return to this poem often Ivon – it is perfect in style and substance. You ignite, inspire and transform. At the crossroad you clearly chose the right path.
I like to think I am always at a crossroads. Frost’s poem The Road Less Traveled is one of my favourites. In so many ways, Mary Oliver and Robert Frost speak the same poetic language.
Take care Mimi and have a wonderful day.
@”Be ignited, or be gone.” – I like this one… sooo true and realistic!
Amitiés toulousaines, bonne santé et bonne chance dans tout ce que tu fais…
Merci bcp pour tes “likes”! 🙂
Bienvenue et merci. I get to use a little of my very rusty French in my responses.
Very Nice poem. Thank you.
You are welcome Lvsrao and thank you.