MAC Wk 4 Blog 3

In a post this week, Sharon Jones was responding to the very powerful perspective of "WE" in our book this week. Her comments can be found here and my response is below.

Sharon,

I too have to admit that I found the "WE" perspective from the Art of Possibility extremely valuable to reflect upon. Not just for myself, but for my students as well.

One of my favorite quotes that I've used in the classroom almost every semester is an old joke from Roy Rogers which runs along the lines of, "I couldn't last a day without everyone".

Its true. When we think about it, especially in a developed economy such as ours, our communities are so intertwined with the lives and work of thousands of others. From those at the electric company, to those maintaining our roads, our society is certainly one created, supported, and stabilized through the collective efforts of a "WE" majority.

Not only is this concept of value, but I've also learned to appreciate a derivative version of "I" as well. Every moment, our bodies, lives, and minds and in motion. We learn, perceive, and react differently with each passing moment as both memory and stimuli shape our conscious environment. When examined from this angle, how much of a concrete identity does a single individual hold in a life that by its nature is dynamic? Thus, I try to remind my students that they are not children anymore, nor do I judge them or harbor ill will from a classroom misstep that might have happened a week ago.

While I'm not espousing a blind and unaware life path, we should not be held back by our historic choices or place in life, nor should we ignore that our world is one of a collective and much is owed to those who support and nurture us and many can conversely benefit from our reciprocal efforts as well.

This was indeed a fun book for the semester. Its been great to share it and explore with you and the rest of the class.

Thanks.

-Scott