Published papers
An interface: How do I overcome challenges to justify and communicate claims to my educational knowledge and the educational influence of my practice?
I am posting my paper -
An interface: How do I overcome challenges to justify and communicate claims to my educational knowledge and the educational influence of my practice?
I am looking forward to reading the comments as the experience I share by way of this account was tension-filled, stressful, exciting, happy, empowering and ultimately transforming. I hope I have been able to convey my learning through this paper and I also hope you, my readers, appreciate my quest.
Love,
Swaroop
Hi, Swaroop. This has been a very difficult process for you and I commend you for your persistence. Thank you for your honesty in sharing the experiences.
I have attached two files: one is your article with minor edits; the other is some comments on specific parts. In addition, I make the following observations as suggestions for your consideration:
I wonder if at any point you considered that the H&W curriculum was a separate curriculum from Life Skills. It seems that trying to fit life skills into the H&W has developed into the battle that you are experiencing. It is important to remember (as I experienced) that curricula change as do governments and there may be another opportunity to create a life skills curriculum in the future. Moreover, the politics that go on behind the scenes do not necessarily make sense. Bringing about change often involves two steps forward and one step back (or two).
I wonder if you might soften some of the claims to know or bring in other voices to support the claims in the paper. As Thayer-Bacon says, we are all fallible knowers! I wonder, also, if you considered any other approaches to bringing about change than going head-on at the bureaucrats and politicians. You talk about the process being transformatory - could you talk more about that?
I believe that the article might strengthen from some consideration of these points and then would be ready for publication. Please let me know if i can help.
Love, Jackie
Hi, Swaroop. The other attachment.
Love, Jackie
Hi, Swaroop. Just another thought. I think you might consider putting in some of the wonderful work you are doing in implementing the life skills curriculum in India and especially with the neediest children. Where are the lovely photos and videos of you and the kids!!! How do you know that it is working?
Love, Jackie
Dear Jackie
Thank you!
I am just back from Gujarat, where I had gone to carry out a drama camp with 40 children. I am sure you will not be surprised to read that the first thing I did on returning home was to check and see if the comments for my paper were posted. I grateful for your comments and really do hope to strengthen my paper.
Jackie, I have added video links and some photos, please can you have a look at the paper you sent me I have attached it in my reply to Jack. The document is 'correct paper'.
Love, SwaroopHi, Swaroop. The additions that you have made have brought the article to life and given the more positive perspective on your work!
I still find some claims that the work of others is incorrect or wrong when we are 'fallible knowers' and can't know what goes on in the lives of others. You might give it another read to see if some of these claims can be softened, for example on p. 2:
I do not at anytime wish to embarrass or shame anybody but merely want to show the situation as it is. As I mentioned before some of these claims need to be softened with “in my opinion or I believe” or supported by evidence from someone else. I'm not sure that know all there is to know about a situation.
I believe that it is ready to be published.
Love, Jackie
Dear Jackie,
I absolutely agree with you ...some of the claims need to be softened and will do so asap.
I am also inserting the pictures like you said...about the videos I don't ...know will have to find exact life skills videos...lets see
Thanks for your comments, interest, and advice.
Love,
Swaroop
Dear Swaroop - A delight to read your paper and to feel inspired by your continuing commitment and passion to make a difference.
There is one point I'd like you to consider adding at the end of your paper following:
In my persistence to find truth and justice, and at every step when I tried to resolve the contradictions of values in my actions I was inspired by one very important verse in the Bhagavad Gita (Ch 2 V. 47 and 48):
‘You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction. Be steadfast in the performance of your duty...abandoning attachment to success and failure. Such equanimity is called Yog.’
Here are some suggestions about the points I think might help to strengthen the ending of paper. They really are suggestions. Smile:
(Sorry about the change of type face - I'm not sure how to change it !)
The Role Of Drama In Enhancing Life Skills In Children With Specific Learning Difficulties In A Mumbai School: My Reflective Account (see http://www.actionresearch.net/living/rawal.shtml), was awarded by the University of Worcester in 2006.
I think that you should add the reference to your doctorate in the paper:
Rawal, S. (2006) The Role Of Drama In Enhancing Life Skills In Children With Specific Learning Difficulties In A Mumbai School: My Reflective Account, Ph.D. University of Worcester. Retrieved 18 November 2018 from http://www.actionresearch.net/living/rawal.shtml
Love Jack.
Dear Jack,
Thank you for your comments. Most importantly thank you for your beautiful video, I have no words to express my feelings.
I have added all according to your suggestion and am attaching the paper with the video links.
The paper definitely reads better now.
Thanks again,
Love, Swaroop
Dear Swaroop, very pleased that you included the details and video from the award ceremony for your honorary D.Litt. degree. I believe that your paper meets the publishing criteria and I am recommending the Editorial Board accept for publication.
Dear Jack, Jackie and Joy,
Thank you for your comments they were extremely helpful and I believe they have enabled me to enhance and sharpen my paper.
I am posting the corrected and final version.
Lots of love,
Swaroop
Hello Swaroop,
I have just finished reading your article and felt a real sense of connection, pleasure and life affirming energy from your writing. The additions of the multi-media sources lift the article and share the joy you feel in your work and at times the frustrations but determination to make a difference.
The article is heartfelt and clearly demonstrates your commitment to Living Theory, your values and work in life Skills education. I have no hesitation in recommending the article for publication as it is.
Joy
Hello Swaroop,
I really enjoyed reading your article and you have an important message to share. This is clearly so important to you professionally and as a person and that comes through clearly in your writing.
As I have read through it, I have added my thoughts as questions and comments to you as tracked comments. They are only my perspective, but I hope they are useful.
The most important point for me is the addition of multi-media sources to support your article, This would enhance the story you are telling. I saw your speech at Worcester the week before last, it was very thought provoking and moving. Is this a source you could include.
I hope you find my comments helpful,
Best wishes,
Joy
Dear Joy,
Thank you for your comments. I have tried to answer as well as I can. I am attaching the paper and my reply follows your comments. I do hope I have been able to explain myself.
Love,
Swaroop
Dear Jack, Jackie and Joy,
I am writing again to especially thank you for taking the time to review my paper. When I wrote the paper it is natural that I did keep in mind some important issues like talking about 'me' and the living-theory etc., however, I was, even then, a bit unsure about the clarity and at no time did I want to be finger-pointing. I did want this paper to be about my transformation and how 'I' dealt with my actions when they were in contradiction to my values.
Your comments have helped me sharpen my writing and also enabled me to get a clearer message through to my readers.
For example - I thought this one paper of mine would be without videos and photos. I did not want to insert photos that were meaningless. But Jackie's comments
“I think you might consider putting in some of the wonderful work you are doing in implementing the life skills curriculum in India and especially with the neediest children. Where are the lovely photos and videos of you and the kids!!! How do you know that it is working?”
Made me think and at the same time Joy asked “What was it that determined you to write? Are your values reflected in the image? Could it be incorporated into the paper?”
I started reflecting on how I would / could make this clear to you ..and then my readers.
Thank you your pointers helped me rummage around and insert the images that I keep looking at to push me on when days are bad. I inserted the images that mean the most to me...
Jackie your comment concerning the ‘fallible knower’ opened a new dimension in learning and also enabled me to write what I was doing and saying more accurately.
Joy, your questions like the one about domain-specific knowledge enabled me to make my tacit knowledge implicit....
There are many more examples and I have addressed them to my advantage.
I very strongly believe this process of reflecting and replying to your comments has been a great learning experience for me and has empowered me.
I will end now...but I also need to thank Jack...
Jack your videos change the whole landscape of my article. These are videos I will treasure. I also wanted to share them with everyone. You are my true Guru...this takes me back to the poem I wrote for you...
Standing alone
at the Worcester station
waiting for the train to take me to London
waiting for the train of thoughts, action
to take me
to the land of professional knowledge
waiting
waiting
waiting alone
that was when I first met Jack Whitehead
through the tons of reading material
which would help me understand the mysteries of research
I am glad I met him by myself
it makes him more mine
than if somebody had introduced him to me…
… That day I read a line
“How can we make our practice as a teacher more effective”
and got hooked
read the paper
understood some thoughts
others flew over
read
read
read
incessantly and then read some more
from the library of living theories…
… ‘I’ as a living contradiction enabled
me to look at my fallible pedagogy
…
I met him in his library
without actually telling he told me -
my values were correct.
my desire to improve was valid
the methods I tried were up to mark.
and when one of my supervisors feared I would fail
I read his papers a hundred times
to understand
to change
I began to understand my ‘dharma’ ….
[Dharma signifies behaviours that are considered to be in accord with scriptures, the order that makes life and universe possible. Dharma is directly connected to life-affirming energy].
Thank you all very muchly (no this is not a typo it is a little like mostest!!!),
Love,
Swaroop
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