Category Archives: Leadership

Love

Posted on December 15, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I heard the news in my classroom today: 27 killed in a school across the continent. Words cannot describe the sadness we should feel. I watched a video where President Obama wept openly. This is an unimaginable act that seems sanctioned by the lack of laws and a lack of courage to do what is right.s

Such sadness

Strong people weep

Shed tears

Shed not innocent blood.

A tragedy

Senseless, deplorable

Words do not express–

Certainly, do not replace.

In this moment

Plead, beg, pray

Where is our courage?

Certainly not in violence.

The right to bear arms

Holds us each close

Embraces one another

We should never let go.

Use one’s arms–

Bear arms for one purpose–

Love–

And to be loved.

15 Comments

Posted in Education, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, creativity, education, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, relationships, stewardship, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Stranded

Posted on December 6, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I was not sure I had a poem today. It is a bit hectic with parent-teacher interviews, but this morning I had an email waiting and saw a path. I am not sure about the title, but here goes.

The last few days I have watched a friend struggle with being involved in something she is very passionate about. As I watch, I see her struggling. Her contributions are simply expected and thus unappreciated. Often, I think, we feel this way and believe we are alone in our struggles. Me experience points to another truth. We need to look up and across, open our minds and hearts and discover there are others who we can lean on.

Stranded–

Alone on an iceberg

Look around;

Look up;

Open your eyes–

Recognize others with you

Share stories–

Pearls of wisdom

In those oyster shells–

Found in deepest waters.

Experiences fully lived–

Reflect on them

Open heroic hearts;

Extend welcoming arms;

Proffer capable hands;

Share construction–

Bridge open water,

Calm perilous seas–

You are not alone

Others await your company.

26 Comments

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

Blog of the Year – 2012

Posted on December 4, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I thank Nizy at Nizy’s Life Copendium and Cristi at Simple.Interesing for nominating 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 has been a reflective, creative, and transformational journey for the blog and this blogger. This is a result of the wonderful blogs I discovered 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…

This next part I am unsure about, so I hope you will be able to follow better than I did.

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 an eclectic group, but they share one thing: they bring joy into my life on a daily basis and I am thankful for that. Here are the bloggers and their sites I would like to nominate:

Poetry Blog of Mine

Francine in Retirement

4 Writers and Readers

Ralphie’s Portal

Lizzie Joy’s Photo Suite

Who is Bert?

My Own Heart.Me

Writing Between the Lines

I Am for Change

Positive Boomer

Waiting for the Karma Truck

Cindy Knoke

Elizabeth’s Ramblings

The Future Is Papier Mâché

Violet Gallery

Lyrics, Sentiments, and Me

The Other Side of Ugly

Deep and Wonderful Thoughts

Simply Simple Complexities

Notes from the Bluegrass

Lead, Learn, Live

What I See, What I Feel, What I’d Like to See…

ABC of Spirit Talk

Leanne Cole Photography

Tracie Louise Photography

One Hot Message

Tea with a Pirate

Practical Practice Managment

Stay human friends. I find great inspiration in all the blogs I visit each day.

86 Comments

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

Life’s Purpose

Posted on December 1, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Professional development days at school leave me wanting so much more. It is a pretense of doing something, but is busyness personified. I am left tired, unsatisfied, and with a bit of headache. I just want a choice. What fuels my spirit?

Day’s end arrives,

Quiet seeks me out–

Busyness dissipates;

A frenetic pace abates–

No hurry,

No frantic pursuit of something;

Whatever that thing might be

Remains uncertain…

Unclear,

Lost in a mist

Focus a little off–

I remain unsatisfied

Until, I wonder aloud:

What is life’s purpose?

Or is life its own purpose.

12 Comments

Posted in Education, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged education, Educational Leadership, eloquent questions, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, teacher as transformer, teaching. Bookmark the permalink.

My Status Quo

Posted on November 28, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Is it a full moon tonight? The classroom and beyond was full of energy and it was not always healthy. I was a little frustrated and visibly annoyed part way through the afternoon. I taught one more year and wanted to teach these students so it hurts when they are disrespectful. On the way home I realized I need to set the pace. My ability to influence is my ability to shake up my status quo and walk into the fire so to speak. I chose to have a dog in this fight so what am I going to do. Even weeds of a tough day have purpose. They fertilize and increase the yield of a crop: children’s learning. This is not lost on me.

transformation–

my status quo defenseless;

an ongoing quest

seek a vision

unearth the true self

one digs deep

rest in sureness of the heart.

transform–

polish the gems of self

right speech! right action!

be confident

challenge my status quo,

influence others seriously

your time has arrived.

25 Comments

Posted in Community, Education, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, creativity, education, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

How do I listen?

Posted on November 24, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I commented on a re-blog, Here’s an Idea that Mimi‘s post coincided a PBS show about a branch of neuroscience called Contemplative Mindfulness. Rudolph Tanzi is central in this work which has grown from other recent research by Richard Davidson, Ellen Langer, and Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindful practices have been with us for centuries and are found in Christ’s, the Buddha’s and Mohammed’s teachings. Mindful listening begins with me, moves outward, and is eloquently described by Hafiz, a Sufi poet. Mindful listening requires humility those teachers emulated in their lived practice as the servant as leader.

How

Do I

Listen to others?

As if everyone were my Master

Speaking to me

His

Cherished

Last

Words.

Stay human friends.

25 Comments

Posted in Community, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Sabbath and tagged conversational journey, eloquent questions, Hafiz, mindful listening, Mindful Practice, poetry, servant-leadership, spirituality, sufi poet, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

A Place; A Space

Posted on November 23, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Recently, I began to consider the word organization and its meaning. We use it as a noun for the places where we work, learn, and play. Its root, organ, suggests life and interaction. Without all parts working together in some cohesive way, it disintegrates. As well, an organ, as a musical instrument, needs a human touch. Humans organize, work, learn, and achieve through a common purpose. When we fail, it is the humanity around us that helps us back to our feet.

This place–

This space–

Welcomes–

Beckons.

Cold, aloof–

Some frigid lover.

Not frantically clinging–

An anxious lover

Here one moment; gone the next

A capricious lover

No! Fully alive–

Not on life support!

Exudes a hearty warmth–

Healthy, vibrant.

It is the human touch;

A lover’s gentle embrace–

Arms hold close;

Not too tight

An invitation.

A place–

A space–

I want to be.

A place–

A space–

That calls me–

Gives me voice

Something in common.

15 Comments

Posted in Community, Leadership, Learning Organizations, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, creativity, leadership, Learning Organizations, Mindful Practice, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

A Child Sits

Posted on November 22, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Several years ago, during a lively family discussion about war, I was asked where I stood. Peace is simple, yet apparently unachievable. I am opposed to war on the grounds there is a Commandment: “Thou shall not kill!” This underpins all Abrahamic traditions which guide Judeo-Christian and Islamic faiths. Furthermore, this premise is central to the Golden Rule which is universal. Who suffers? Inevitably, it is the weakest, the most vulnerable.

A child sits–

Shivers

Is it the cold?

Hunger

Loneliness, fear

So fragile and weak

In desperate need.

Amidst war’s carnage–

No refuge

Only chaos

Military heroes wreak havoc

Who is the toughest?

The biggest bully?

Kick sand in a child’s eyes.

There is no right side

Real courage

Begs and pleads?

Stop

Wanton, senseless

Violence and death!

Who gains?

It does not take a hero to order bombs lobbed into civilian areas of cities. Nor does it take a hero to hide behind women and children when bombs are lobbed. Last night, I heard a talking head on TV ask who has the moral high ground. Is there really one when the objective of both sides is to punish the most vulnerable. What a silly question. There is no moral high ground in war only criminality.

22 Comments

Posted in Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Social Justice and tagged creativity, eloquent questions, human-rights, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, politics, religion, senseless violence, social justice, spirituality, teacher as transformer, war. Bookmark the permalink.

The Uses of Not

Posted on November 20, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I wrote about paradox in Warrior’s Quest and part of the motivating force was this poem. It takes real courage to accept paradox and hold the tension. The hole in the whole completes the whole.

Thirty spokes

meet in the hub.

Where the wheel isn’t

is where it’s useful.

Hollowed out,

clay makes the pot.

Where the pot’s not

is where it’s useful.

Cut doors and windows

to make a room.

Where the room isn’t

there’s room for you.