Guest guest Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 I wonder how I can live The Work and be " in the moment " in situations like my job (teaching high school) where I have to function in this enviornment of test giving, critiques and expectations (being in other peoples business constantly). I'm paid to do that. It's often stressful for me and for my students. But if I were to try to implement what I perceive as the main principle of The Work, that is staying in " my own business " , I doubt I would last in this job, because it does seem like my business IS being in their business. What would the point of 'teaching' be anyway? I would love to find a whole new way to be a " teacher " but it's not currently dawning on me. How do I work with The Work at work? Is there a way I could approach the work on teaching, and reduce stress? It seems to get very complicated and confusing in my present frame of reference. Being in other peoples business seems to be the way of it. Thanks to those who responded to my previous post...still, Dancin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 > > Is there a way I could approach the work on teaching, and reduce > stress? It seems to get very complicated and confusing in my > present frame of reference. Being in other peoples business seems > to be the way of it. > Hey Dancin', Maybe your " real " job is to be unconditional love, so your students can see how beautiful that is? As you take the Work deeper I think you will find that you come closer and closer to unconditional love. Some of the greatest teachers I have met, seemed grounded in unconditional love, but that's just my story. LOL ... As you may have already guessed, teaching can NEVER be stressful, only your unexamined THOUGHTS around teaching can cause stress. Maybe you could identify some of those thoughts and we could help you to undo the teaching nightmare which appears so real? Just some thoughts Loving what is, angel, and that would be you. Neo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Dear Dancin, " Teaching " is very stressful. If I was told I had to teach a specific theory or skill to someone and my teaching was being evaluated on how much the student learned, I would be a prime target for stress. Learning is the student's business not mine. If I was in your situation, I would reframe the term " teacher " and I would look at the role I had accepted without question. Your authentic PRESENCE is the greatest experience your students can have. The learning comes naturally after that. Good Luck, Eddie > >Reply-To: Loving-what-is >To: Loving-what-is >Subject: Teaching and The Work >Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 06:14:19 -0000 > > >I wonder how I can live The Work and be " in the moment " in >situations like my job (teaching high school) where I have to >function in this enviornment of test giving, critiques and >expectations (being in other peoples business constantly). I'm paid >to do that. It's often stressful for me and for my students. But >if I were to try to implement what I perceive as the main principle >of The Work, that is staying in " my own business " , I doubt I would >last in this job, because it does seem like my business IS being in >their business. What would the point of 'teaching' be anyway? I >would love to find a whole new way to be a " teacher " but it's not >currently dawning on me. > >How do I work with The Work at work? > > > Is there a way I could approach the work on teaching, and reduce >stress? It seems to get very complicated and confusing in my present >frame of reference. Being in other peoples business seems to be the >way of it. > >Thanks to those who responded to my previous post...still, > >Dancin' > > _________________________________________________________________ Get fast, reliable access with MSN 9 Dial-up. Click here for Special Offer! http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200361ave/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 What serendipity. I was talking to a friend last night who is a teacher and stressed out. I am going to send her this. Doreen Eddie Katz wrote: Dear Dancin, " Teaching " is very stressful. If I was told I had to teach a specific theory or skill to someone and my teaching was being evaluated on how much the student learned, I would be a prime target for stress. Learning is the student's business not mine. If I was in your situation, I would reframe the term " teacher " and I would look at the role I had accepted without question. Your authentic PRESENCE is the greatest experience your students can have. The learning comes naturally after that. Good Luck, Eddie > >Reply-To: Loving-what-is >To: Loving-what-is >Subject: Teaching and The Work >Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 06:14:19 -0000 > > >I wonder how I can live The Work and be " in the moment " in >situations like my job (teaching high school) where I have to >function in this enviornment of test giving, critiques and >expectations (being in other peoples business constantly). I'm paid >to do that. It's often stressful for me and for my students. But >if I were to try to implement what I perceive as the main principle >of The Work, that is staying in " my own business " , I doubt I would >last in this job, because it does seem like my business IS being in >their business. What would the point of 'teaching' be anyway? I >would love to find a whole new way to be a " teacher " but it's not >currently dawning on me. > >How do I work with The Work at work? > > > Is there a way I could approach the work on teaching, and reduce >stress? It seems to get very complicated and confusing in my present >frame of reference. Being in other peoples business seems to be the >way of it. > >Thanks to those who responded to my previous post...still, > >Dancin' > > _________________________________________________________________ Get fast, reliable access with MSN 9 Dial-up. Click here for Special Offer! http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200361ave/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 Dear Odette, Thank you for your kind response....this whole experience with my student, , has brought up many interesting things today. I am preparing materials for a presentation to some of our faculty about The Work. This also comes on the heels of a school wide (room by room) presentation on a very serious issue of 'eating disorders' in addition to a Chanel One documentary on bi-polar disorders among high school students...so many young people struggling. I feel the work is coming forward as an answer to many prayers...nomistake. I was amazed at how simple and perfect inquiry was in the face of intense emotion with (a 'client' if you will) who was not versed in the inquiry process....and...amazingly, it was also effective even though I fumbled around a bit awkwardly at first. was (for whatever reason) completely open to doing inquiry without knowing a thing about it. No resistance, no questions...she just trusted... and it flowed. I don't know if things would have worked as well with another student on a similar or different subject at a different time...how could I?..smile.... but in this case, with this person, at this time, it appeared to serve her in the way of shifting the immediate stress producing thought to one of peace....and perhaps showing her a different option in life. And, (I smile at this)...and I didn't have a thing to do with it! It was ... open and responsive...trusting and willing... who simply did her work. I only asked four questions (together with the briefiest explaination)...while remaining as calm and as clear as I was able...and that was enough. (why does that bring tears to my eyes? ...is this love?) I noticed today that when she didn't come to class....I wondered what might be the reason....I had a moment of concern...and I hoped things were going a certain way for ...oh...stories...then there was a peaceful feeling and a thought that she was on Her God given path...I had nothing to do with it....things were as they should be. I did however, call her home as I do from time to time when students don't come to class. I got the answering machine and it sounded like her voice. I wondered where she was...again...a moment of story making, then it faded and I felt the peace again. Now at home I can hear the TV news on where my husband is using the tread mill....I can hear a man announcing something about 4 US civilians killed in....Iraq? was that it... and their bodies dragged about by people...for a moment...there is anguish...then...strange...peace...I want to cry...strange, peaceful tears...sad, but no...peaceful tears....they were on their God given path...the men...and the people who killed them and the people who dragged them about....I had nothing...and everything... to do with it...and things are as they should be.....they are, you are, I am... we....is this love? .....either I am going a bit crazy or there is a imperceptible miracle taking place in the world.... dancin' > > Friends of the Work, I thought I would share this but it appears my > > first effort to send it failed. This is dedicated to high school > > teachers everywhere. > > > > 2004 > > Dear , > > > > Following the Fallbrook School for the Work in Feb. this year (2004) > > I returned to my high school art classroom. I have taught for 18 > > years and occasionally students in my classes have problems surface > > of a serious nature and are upset for one thing or another. The best > > I have been able to do in the past is listen and empathize with > > them, and send them to their parent or counselor. I always felt a > > little at a loss, wishing I could do more. Last Monday was > > different and I would like to relate the following experience for > > all teachers and those who work with young people: > > > > Right after lunch my third period class began to arrive. Just > > before the bell rang, " " walked in with her hands held to her > > face. She had tears running down her face and seemed to be in great > > distress. I had been previously informed by our school counselors > > that was bi-polar and I was to allow her to function in class > > without expectation, and to allow her to work or to leave as she > > deemed her emotional state would allow. She often had deep gouges > > on her arms and last week I noticed a new cut about 2-3 inches long > > recently sutured on her forearm. > > > > That day, last week, I did a demonstration on matt cutting for the > > class. volunteered one of her several drawings to be matted > > for the demo. I had not seen this before. It was an oil pastel, a > > close up of a girl holding a gun in her mouth. I showed it to the > > class with her permission and asked if she would like to explain it > > to them. She said, with some pride, that she had drawn it the week > > before when she was very depressed and thinking about suicide. The > > other students didn't say anything but some of them looked a bit > > shocked. I matted the picture and thanked her for her courage in > > sharing. > > > > So, when arrived in tears on Monday, I immediately invited her > > outside and asked if I could help her. Between gulps and sobs she > > related that she thought she was pregnant....that she was going to > > have a pregnancy test the next week. I held her arms lightly and > > asked her to look at me and with her permission we began inquiry > > right then. " Is it true you might be pregnant? " " I'm spotting and > > I think I might be pregnant " . " , you haven't had the test > > yet? " " No, it's next week " .... " Can you absolutely know that you are > > pregnant, ...standing right here, right now? " " I'm spotting and > > I just had my period and I might be pregnant " .... " , can you > > absolutely know you are pregnant right now? " Slowly she realized > > the answer, " No, I can't know yet... " She stopped shaking for > > several moments. > > > > Well....we did inquiry on " Can I know I'm pregnant " , " I'm spotting > > and that might mean I'm pregnant " ....and at one point early on, she > > stopped shaking again and smiled and I quickly mentioned it so that > > she would notice too. I observed with her that when she didn't > > think the thought that was causing distress, she relaxed...it > > surprised her. So we continued inquiry. Her mind would quickly > > escalate off into other thoughts that would frighten her again. I > > helped her notice how many times she would wander with the " and that > > means that " thoughts...how they would string together, how her mind > > would run away and scare her but how, when she would just focus on > > inquiry and one thought, she would become calm, peaceful, rational. > > > > We finished two inquiry sets and she completely calmed down. I > > asked what she wanted to do next and how I might help her. She said > > she wanted paper and to draw outside. I went in to my classroom and > > got her materials. At the end of the period two girls came to me > > saying they wanted to deliver a note they had written to . They > > let me read it. I was an expression of admiration, encouragement > > and love. Just then returned and shyly asked me to see her > > drawing. It was a close up picture of a very preganant womans naked > > torso, beautiful. I encouraged her to finish it and bring it back > > to class with anything else she wanted to draw. > > > > After she left I just sat marveling at what had just happened. What > > an honor and blessing it was to serve this beautiful young girl. > > Never before have I had an actual " tool " to offer a student in > > distress. > > > > had memorized the four questions and the turn around while we > > were working together and promised to put her thoughts on > > paper...including her " and that means that " statements > > (including: " My boyfriend will leave me. My mother will make me have > > an abortion. I'll be alone. I'll die). is a bright and very > > intelligent girl. I felt so confident that she will know what she > > should do next and that she will inquire her written thoughts > > towards freedom. Now she has one small successful experience in > > using the world most amazing emotional tool box. > > > > Thank you ....thank you. > > Your grateful student, > > Susette G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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