"Enrollment is not about forcing, cajoling, tricking, bargaining,
pressuring or guilt-tripping someone into doing something your way.
Enrollment is the art and practice of generating a spark of possibility
for others to share."
If anything could describe how I operate with team mates and clients on a daily basis it would be the above quote from the Zanders book. After reading the story about the children and the orchestra I found myself in tears. Part of me realized that A) for the last year I have been in the presence of teachers that have that passion required in spite of all that has opposed them. What a gift that has been. B) All that I do is for something, even though I may not ever see the results in individuals 5 years from now.
The one skill I have learned is identifying and voicing my mistakes. In voicing them I am staking my claim in humanity. Jumping on the high road of moral superiority always proves to be cumbersome and bumpy. I love this quote: Gracing your self with the responsibility for everything that happens in your life leaves your spirit whole, and leaves you free to choose again. And thank goodness that we all get to!
This book while I thought in the beginning had very little to offer me has made my top 10 must reads.
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ReplyDeleteI agree that there is a lot of power in that quote. Often we try to bend others for our own benefit as opposed to truly offering those around us a chance to better themselves. I try to be there for my students, but I know, if I'm being truly honest with myself, there have been times when my motivations were self-centered. I am going to use the second part of that quote as a guiding principle in my classes this year. Thanks for this reflection, Tania.
ReplyDeleteI find that I fit the second quote in your post. I have always felt that everything I do is for a reason and if I make a mistake, I need to own up to it to move past it. Though it is a very difficult thing to do, I try to follow this in front of my students too. They know at the beginning that I don't know everything and that everyone makes mistakes. We will learn together and I will help them as best they can to achieve their goals (or my goals for them).
ReplyDeleteI have always had problems voicing my mistakes. I will admit them to myself, but I have always seen myself as safe. Even then, I start to beat myself up, and although it is human to make a mistake...I always equated mistake with failure. What pressure that is!!!! Allowing myself to be human has promoted more growth than anything else. Thanks for sharing!!!
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