Category Archives: Community

Story Told is One Heard

Posted on October 27, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

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.

11 Comments

Posted in Community, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, creativity, leadership, Parker Palmer, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Take Courage, Friends

Posted on October 26, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I had an extraordinary and tiring day, but it is a tiredness born out of satisfaction. I received many gifts today and over the next little while it offers me much grist for the mill as a creative space emerges and words flow from it.

When I arrived in my room, I found two small gifts. One is a token with the word Courage engraved on it. The other a short passage by Wayne Arnason called Take Courage, Friends. As I strive to live in community and share with other people I need to recognize community, unlike teams, brings both sorrow and success in many forms.

The way is often hard, the path is never clear,

And the stakes are very high.

Take courage.

For deep down, there is another truth:

You are not alone.

14 Comments

Posted in Community, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, creativity, leadership, Mindful Practice, Parker Palmer, quotes, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Companions

Posted on October 23, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I am preparing for a trip to Bainbridge and a retreat. This is part of a Leadership Academy presented by the Centre for Courage and Renewal. This is the second part of the process and it has been truly rewarding as I find my way on this journey called life with companions here at home, from all over North America and, sometimes, beyond.

Beloved other

An invitation,

For carried alone

Troubles weight us down

Each step, a struggle.

But, lightened,

Grow strong together

Backs straighten–

Shoulders square–

Heads held high.

Journey together,

Loads shared

Trust born

Become companions

Break bread together.

9 Comments

Posted in Community, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, creativity, Judy Brown, leadership, Parker Palmer, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Circle of Appreciation

Posted on October 19, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

”A great blog is a space where one brings others into their world with thoughts, aspirations, and visions of what is possible. It will transcend time as visitors will join the day, but discover the past of the member of this vibrant community. Digital communities of this nature will be respectful and honest spaces shrinking the world and dissolving boundaries.”

I am grateful to Marsha Lee who streams her thoughts in many ways and helps me navigate the shoals of this new community. She is a writer, innovator, and teacher on her blog.

I acknowledge and invite several bloggers I was fortunate to find as I transformed my blog from an intermittent one without a focus to one with real purpose, I hope. I followed their efforts and recognized a blog is about connecting with me and, when that occurs, I will connect with others. I know a couple do not accept awards, but I wanted to acknowledge and thank them.

I appreciate Melody at Meanwhile, Melody Muses. She is a wonderful poet and photographer. Her inspirational words and imagery convinced me the digital community was about an inner journey of self-discovery on a personal spiritual journey.

A second blogger I appreciate is Mike at Mike’s Look at Life. Mike is a wonderful photographer who occasionally shares poetry. His photography is a journey of the daily life and its past. He reveals the extraordinary in the ordinary; those parts of daily life I often drove by.

I appreciate is Yaz at Free Your Mind. She leaves many uplifting comments about my posts and shares the need to find one’s truth in both the good fortune and tragedy. She reaffirms a need to search and find community in her posts and frequent comments.

I appreciate Carolyn’s posts on ABC of Spirit Talk and frequent journeys to my blog. She reminded me in her words that living my life as my life, rather than someone else’s life, is essential. Her ballroom dancing and her gently worded reflections speak volumes about her spirit.

I appreciate Mimi at Waiting for the Karma Truck. She shares poetry, a love of music, and life experiences. Mimi responds to, as best as I can determine, every comment on her blog. She demonstrated blogs are a place of genuine conversation.

I appreciate David at Lead.Learn.Live. We share some key ingredients-ice hockey is just a place to begin. David shares humour, quotes, and enthusiasm for life. My favourite posts are those at 4:00 AM when David is viewing the world more optimistically lens than I do.

To fully take part in the Līgo Circle of Appreciation:
~
* Complete this sentence about blogging: ”A great blog is…”
* Refer back to the blogger who invited you
* Invite 2 bloggers to join the Līgo Circle of Appreciation on a post

8 Comments

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

Reality Blog Award

Posted on October 10, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Tiny, from Tiny Lessons Blog nominated my blog for an award called the Reality Blog Award. I am grateful to Tiny. You can decide what you would like to do based on time and other considerations. There are no rules per se. I followed the template that Tiny provided, but each of us can follow our path on this award.

Here is the image for this award:

These are five questions that Tiny passed on and I will answer:

1) If you could change something what would you change?

I would have become a teacher sooner in life.

2) If you could repeat an age, what age would it be?

This is two answers: 20 and 22. The first year was the year Kathy and I met and the second was the year we married.

3) What one thing really scares you?

I handle the loss of those close to me well, but still it is the thing I think that scares me the most.

4) What one dream have you not completed yet and do you think you will be able to complete it.

I would finish my PhD, start a school, and write.

5) If you could be someone else for the day, who would you be?

I would be interested in being Jesus, Buddha, or Mohammed for a day.

I nominated 20 different blogs I visit regularly. They include photography, poetry, prose, opinions, spirituality, etc. They are not the only blogs I visit, but I wanted to acknowledge a new group. I visit them and gain insight from their reality.

This award does not go with any specific “rules”. Instead each nominee can do whatever feels good to them, but I hope they will take the nomination as a sign of appreciation and encouragement.

Dancing on Frozen Beaver Ponds

Real Manure

Francine in Retirement

Lizzie Joy’s Photo Suite

Authentic Photography

Living the Seasons

Nett Robbens Writer

35 Comments

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

Life’s Mission

Posted on October 6, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Today was professional development day. The inconsistencies revealed in these exercises fascinate me. They are uninspiring, exhausting, and annoying. Frequently, I find these events are counterproductive. What they lack is personal choice. Yet, on my way home, I thought, “Am I seeing this the right way? What can I do to further the process of learning as a role model for students and other adults?” Learning is relational process between people and subject. We live in the world we learn. The world we create is lived out in and through these relationships.

My mission in life seems to have been one of a life-long learner. We sacrificed, as a family, and I obtained a B. Ed. When I felt that was insufficient, we doubled-down and I completed a Master of Education. Today, we have tripled-down and I am completing a PhD. I love learning and, when I am given choice, I believe, like many others in the profession, I make good choices. My learning is not mine. It belongs, in some ways, to those who contributed in many ways to keep the dream alive.

Live fully

Share fully

Learn one’s voice

Sing life’s song.

Whet my curiosity

Recognize gaps in wisdom

Attempt to fill

Best I can.

In each sense

Plant seeds of wonder

Water and feed

Grow rich with the wisdom.

Learn truths

Each moment contains

Be in relationship with the world

With others.

8 Comments

Posted in Community, Education, Poetry and tagged community, creativity, life-long learning, Mindful Practice, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

From Earth, Fire and Water by William Butler Yeats

Posted on October 5, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Today, an interesting thing happened. All three grades are at key points in Science. The Grade 8 class was learning and applying the equation for density. They were completing a worksheet, but got bogged down with the equation when it was not straightforward and had to think algebraically. I was moving between the Grade 7 and 9 tables and looked up. There was a colleague who had stopped by on her day off helping the Grade 8 students and the parent helper. I had not asked for help; it arrived in the quiet and I thought of this poem.

We can make our own minds so like still water

that beings gather about us that they may see,

it may be, their own images,

and so live for a moment with a clearer,

perhaps even with a fiercer life

because of our quiet.

The Soul’s Choice

Posted on October 3, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

It was cool, rainy, and windy at times today. We are going to go through a couple of days of below seasonal and bounce back on the weekend. Today, a new parent was the parent-helper. She did a wonderful job and told me how much her child was enjoying our little corner of paradise. It warmed the heart on a dreary day.

The day broke

Cool and wet

Grey.

Able to dampen one’s spirit;

If allowed–

And let the dull prevail.

A glow emerged

Warmth radiates

Revealed in community.

In communal spirit

Discover my world

Leads me forward.

6 Comments

Posted in Community, Education, Mindful Life, Photography, Poetry, Uncategorized and tagged community, education, Mindful Practice, nature, poetry, school, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

October

Posted on October 2, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I am sitting and looking out the window at a hard rain coming down. I am really uncertain how I will make it to my car in my shorts and t-shirt. Despite that it is still 18 C⁰in Edmonton, but it is October and there is a risk of wet snow tonight. Early today, it was quite pleasant, sunny, and, as one student put it, it changed quite suddenly.

October arrives

Softly whispers reminders

Thank and share.

Harvest gathered

Bounty stored

The hearth calls.

Gather as one

Hands joined; heads bowed

Pray as one.

I out waited the rain. It has stopped momentarily

9 Comments

Posted in Community, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry and tagged community, Mindful Practice, nature, poetry, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

The Root of Extraordinary

Posted on September 29, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Friday I spend without students, at least for now. There are rumours teaching four core junior high subjects is not enough. Apparently, I don’t need time to plan, mark, complete report cards, and other sundry tasks which keep the classroom humming.

I work hard to stay positive. Sometimes the tendency is to create negative narratives rather than let each moment live itself fully. I find this is hard work, but it grows easier to set aside the dis-ease.

Alone is different

Not loneliness.

In solitude

Gifts of deep silence

The presence of presents

I grow whole

Energize the spirit

Recollect the ordinary in extraordinary–

Not just a root word;

It is the root.