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I Teach Because I Love

5/29/2017

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PictureThis is one of the young women who every day attend our technology class at www.kotdwarahelp.org. These girls from North India come from a background of terrible poverty and need every opportunity to find success in life.
I teach because I love.
 
Some more gold from Jim Knight, internationally renowned educator
(www.instructionalcoaching.com and www.corwin.com/focusonteaching/) who speaks on instructional coaching and the art of conversation.
 





​​5 perspectives necessary for rich, powerful, authentic dialogue in our classrooms and schools.

  1. HUMILITY – I will take the stance of learning from you, rather than needing to be the one who is right. I will listen more than I talk.
  2. HOPE – I believe that the future can be better than the present and that I can make a positive difference. As we work towards solving a problem, I see that we are both part of the solution. My goal is to encourage and empower you to be at your best.
  3. FAITH – You have something to teach me.
  4. CRITICAL THINKING – As we reflect together, I respect your opinions and decisions
  5. LOVE – Our conversation must be mutually uplifting. I have your best interests at heart. I want you to be at your best. I will do all I can to help you to learn and to flourish, and I know that you will do the same for me.
 
I’m inspired by the thought that ‘love’ must be at the centre of our relationships. Why is it that we are afraid to have the word ‘love’ as part of the vocabulary of our schools, and even at the centre of our pedagogy. Love motivates us to want what is truly best for others.
 
A couple of weeks ago at our staff meeting, I challenged my team to consider the words of 1 Corinthians 13. Most of us know this passage well because we hear it so often at weddings. I reckon these words pack a powerful punch when we apply them to the context of the conversations, the partnerships and the relationships that we have in our classrooms, and in our common rooms, the corridors, the playground and across our school community.
 
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
 
I teach because I love.

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I Teach To See You Flourish

5/29/2017

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PictureThis is a pic of one of the slum kids who attend one of our schools at www.kotdwarahelp.org
I’ve just been most fortunate to sit under the teaching of Jim Knight. Jim is an internationally renowned educator
​( www.instructionalcoaching.com and www.corwin.com/focusonteaching/) who speaks on instructional coaching and the art of conversation. I was blown away by what he had to say, especially his module on the ‘Principles of Partnership”. I highly recommend him as an inspiring thought leader.
 
This blog aims to provide a challenge (with my sincere thanks to Jim Knight) regarding the partnership we have with others in our schools. There are so many partnerships and central to this are relationships. We must value healthy relationships if our classrooms and our schools are to be strong and full of life and vitality. 
 
Schools provide the context for people in community to ‘do life with each other’. Consider the many partnerships that exist in a school;
student – student
teacher – student
teacher – teacher
teacher – parent
Principal – student
Principal – teacher
Principal – parent
school – wider community community
 
So what characterises strong, healthy, inclusive partnerships in our schools? I include my notes from Jim’s Seminar, and while he is specifically referring to the partnership between an instructional coach and a teacher, I believe there is great depth and perspective as we apply these principles to the myriad of relationships that exist in our schools.
 
Equality – A healthy partnership recognises that relationships are between equals.

Choice – In partnerships, one individual does not make decisions for the other, rather they offer choices for learning. “Because partners are equal, they make their own individual choices and make decisions collaboratively.”

Voice – My perspective and opinion matters. As humans we flourish when we feel that our voice matters.  “All individuals in partnership have opportunities to express their point of view”. Let us never underestimate the power of student voice in our schools.

Dialogue – We learn when we engage in authentic dialogue. “Partners engage in conversation, learning together as they explore ideas.”

Reflection – Reflective thinking is the key to success and improvement.

Praxis – Understanding the point or the ‘why’ of the conversation. Why are we coming together, and what is the goal that we share? Momentum and growth occur when we are talking about something that matters.

Reciprocity – Do we truly believe that we are equals? Partners should expect to get as much as they receive.
 
Our schools are learning communities. Think about the people you serve and do life with. I encourage you to apply these seven principles to the perspective and stance that you take in your conversations with others. To be in partnership means that you share something with another person or party. Perhaps it’s working towards a common goal, something you are learning or trying to teach and explain to a child, someone you both care about, a problem that needs solving, or striving towards a shared vision. The more we value authentic relationships built on mutual trust and respect, we truly will experience powerful learning. We will empower one another, and that ‘shared something’ will be sure to grow.
 
I teach because I want you to learn and to flourish.

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Friends over charity

5/10/2017

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As a child I was always especially fascinated by the stories of Jesus with the lepers. I still am. I could never imagine what it would be like to live with such a horrible disease, especially when my childhood imagination filled my mind with gory pictures of gaping wounds, fingers and limbs falling off and of people shunned by society, living in caves on the outskirts of town. The stories of Jesus’ compassion towards these people taught me about His mighty power to heal, His love for all people, and also the importance of saying “thank you”.  
 
I never imagined in all my life I’d have a friend who is a leper in modern day India. The first time I met KaviRaj he was begging on the street and after shaking his hand, I nervously went to Doctor Google to see if leprosy was contagious. To be honest it feels kind of freaky being with him – I feel exposed, vulnerable and a little nervous that somehow I might possibly ‘catch’ something. 
 
Here I am in this picture with my friend KaviRaj standing on the right, and Ravi to the left.  Both men have leprosy, both are Hindus and I am at their home, known as the Leprosy Mission House. The house is next to the riverside slum in Kotdwara, where one of our Education Centres operates.
 
I’ve known KaviRaj for three years now. We don't know each other that well, but every time I see him we get to share our stories a little more and my life is all the richer because of this. The two of us have much common … it’s cool that we are both the same age (he is 52, and I am 51). He is married like me, we both have kids, we laugh and we cry together. We pray for each other throughout the year and we certainly enjoy each other’s company when we get to catch up once or twice a year.
 
KaviRaj ‘caught’ leprosy when he was 8 years old, which as you can imagine, changed the trajectory of his life.  His parents could not cope with a son who had this disease, so one evening they brought him to the local Sikh Temple and they left him there all by himself. KaviRaj never saw his parents again. As a young boy he learnt to survive on the charity and kindness of others. 44 years later, Kavi has an inspiring story of how he continues to overcome terrible suffering and adversity associated with leprosy. Every day he begs on a busy street to supplement to small amount of money he receives from the charity of local churches. He has a family to feed and provide for.
 
Leprosy still affects Kavi’s physical health. You can see in the photo that he has a damaged eye. Ravi has bandages on his feet, covering fresh, painful wounds. Both men must take medication every day of their life.
 
I am overwhelmed that KaviRaj says that he prays for me often and that he and his friends look forward to my visit whenever I’m in town. This April, KaviRaj told me that he was really sad when he heard I was in Kotdwara but I hadn’t visited him. His excitement and happiness when we arrived at his house for a surprise visit was just so special.
 
The power of friendship is incredible. Friendship breaks down barriers and is medicine for the soul. When I visited last I just Ioved their infectious laughter, their happy tears when we talked together, their warmth, the sincerity of their interest and care, the things communicated not by words but simply by holding hands. I was told that these men never experience the physical touch of others except from their family. Perhaps this is why, they never really stopped holding my hand as we talked together.
 
I can't imagine what it’s like to have an illness that isolates you, that separates you from the essence of being human – to be a leper! This thought challenges me to think about who are the lepers in modern day Australia.
 
When I visit these inspiring people, I always give them a small amount of money, I feel that it’s the least I can do. But I have learnt something important. Apparently these guys, compared to so many others living in poverty in this town, are pretty well cared for by the local churches in Kotdwara, but from I have seen and experienced charity is not the same as friendship …there is power in friendship.
 
And this brings me back to the stories I learnt as a boy about Jesus. These are the same stories that I have the privilege of teaching the children in my school. Jesus offers each one us friendship. He offers acceptance and places dignity and value on us all.
 
What KaviRaj and Ravi have taught me is that friendship extends way beyond charity. Our friendship is a two-way gift. I love these guys and they love me back.
 
…………………………….
Check out our website www.kotdwarahelp.org to learn more about our work in India. If you’d like to make a donation which I will send as a gift to KaviRaj and the other families in the Leprosy Mission House, here are our account details;
 
BSB: 812-170
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 100122703 
ACCOUNT NAME: RM & DJ Thomas INDIA
Please write your name and KaviRaj in the reference section
 
I will ensure that this gift makes its way directly to these families. If perhaps you would like to write a card, including a message of encouragement, love and friendship I will personally deliver this in September. 
 
Thanks and love to you from Doug and Kavi
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