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