I finished reading a book by Jacques Rancière and am reading another by Emmanuel Levinas. Their philosophic writings suggest a preexisting ethical condition exists in when encountering another person. There is an empathic quality calling humans to walk in the other’s shoes as we encounter each other.
In my dissertation, I argue a teacher’s subjectivity forms in placing themselves in relationship with others, students and topics. Rancière argued humans take part in life, and are not merely external observers at a spectacle. Teaching is relational and is one where the relating with students and topics is the matter that matters.
W.S. Merwin’s poem proposes even when separated humans can wait on the other person’s side of things. In mindfulness and attentiveness, humans place themselves in the shoes of the other. Today, as I read, talked to my advisor, and chatted with Kathy a question came to mind. What has happened in the world today that we struggle with the ethical and empathic living that might heal the world we live in?
If we are separated I will
try to wait for you
on your side of things
your side of the wall and the water
and of the light moving at its own speed
even on leaves that we have seen
I will wait on one side
while a side is there
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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.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Enlightening read at early morning…thank you for this
You are welcome.
Merwin! We do share some taste in poets, for sure!
Actually, I just found his work recently. When I looked through his poetry, I found many poems that struck a chord with me.
He lives on Maui – we’re on Big Island. He’s much beloved here.
Good question.
Thank you Elizabeth.
I think that some of what’s happened is that we’ve lost the luxury of time to cogitate, meditate, contemplate on our relationships. For example, when I was a child, I wrote letters to loved ones. The composition of those letters, thinking of what to share and how to phrase it, imagining the other person’s reactions and thoughts to my news, and then anticipating and awaiting the responses, were a huge part of the relationships I had. Today, with voice mail, e-mail, texting, skyping, and all the other modes of instant communication that are available to us, the emphasis seems to be on responding quickly instead of thinking through and savoring the exchange. Thanks Ivon. It’s good to think through! xoxoM
Yes, we have lost those things. I used to write letters to family and friends. It was engrained in the way we lived and we used to look forward to the responses. I would walk to the post office in subzero weather for letters I knew were coming back. Somehow, we need to rediscover the time which allows us to compose our lives in meditative and contemplative ways.
Great to see Ranciere and Levinas being name-checked in approaching the other and spiritual practice. Am enjoying your blog muchly!
Thank you. I found my way to Ranciere and Levinas through Gert Biesta’s writing. He is an educational-philosopher who uses them and others i.e. Arendt, Derrida, and Dewey in his writing on education vs. School.