Teaching Middle SchoolTeaching Middle SchoolA Spiritual PracticeA Spiritual Practice

Education is a mirror - it brings about a Education is a mirror - it brings about a fundamental understanding of our own fundamental understanding of our own

mind."mind."

Dzogchen Ponlop RinpocheDzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

North Carolina Middle Level North Carolina Middle Level EducationEducation

March 18March 18thth, 2014, 2014Ann Mary Roberts Ann Mary Roberts Radford UniversityRadford University

aroberts@radford.eduaroberts@radford.edu

AGENDAAGENDA• Introduction- who am I? who are you? Introduction- who am I? who are you?

Why this workshop? What do you hope to Why this workshop? What do you hope to get?get?

• Goals of this workshopGoals of this workshop• Assumptions and landscapeAssumptions and landscape• Defining spiritualityDefining spirituality• Spiritual aspects of teaching middle Spiritual aspects of teaching middle

schoolschool• Closure and questionsClosure and questions

GOALSGOALS

Why this workshop?Why this workshop?What would you like?What would you like?What do you need?What do you need?

GOALS FOR THIS GOALS FOR THIS WORKSHOPWORKSHOP• To remind you of who you are and what To remind you of who you are and what

you knowyou know• To provide a different framework to look To provide a different framework to look

at aspects of teaching and your role at aspects of teaching and your role • The goal is The goal is notnot to tell you that there are to tell you that there are

more things where you fall short…and more things where you fall short…and having you judge yourself as lacking having you judge yourself as lacking

ASSUMPTIONSASSUMPTIONS• Everyone here believes there is Everyone here believes there is

something greater than him or something greater than him or herself at work in the world. herself at work in the world.

• As people of spirit we are motivated As people of spirit we are motivated to work on ourselves to strengthen to work on ourselves to strengthen our connection to that which is our connection to that which is greater than ourselves greater than ourselves

• KNOW THYSELFKNOW THYSELF

Knowing others is intelligence,Knowing others is intelligence,Knowing yourself is true wisdomKnowing yourself is true wisdomMastering others is strengthMastering others is strengthMastering yourself is true power Mastering yourself is true power Lao-TzuLao-Tzu

TEACHING LANDSCAPETEACHING LANDSCAPE• TEACHING IS COMPLEXTEACHING IS COMPLEX

• THERE IS MORE THAT ENTERS YOUR THERE IS MORE THAT ENTERS YOUR CLASSROOM THAN STUDENTSCLASSROOM THAN STUDENTS

• ““STUDENTS MIRROR YOUR MAGNIFICENCE STUDENTS MIRROR YOUR MAGNIFICENCE AND YOUR LIMITATIONS”AND YOUR LIMITATIONS”(Ann Mary Roberts)(Ann Mary Roberts)

Our children, from infancy to adulthood Our children, from infancy to adulthood and beyond, can be seen as and beyond, can be seen as perpetually challenging live-in perpetually challenging live-in teachers, who provide us with teachers, who provide us with ceaseless opportunities to do the inner ceaseless opportunities to do the inner work of understanding who we are and work of understanding who we are and who they are so that we can best stay who they are so that we can best stay in touch with what is truly important in touch with what is truly important and give them what they most need in and give them what they most need in order to grow and flourish. order to grow and flourish. — Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn in — Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn in Everyday Everyday BlessingsBlessings

What is Spirituality?What is Spirituality?• An inner sense of something greater than oneself. An inner sense of something greater than oneself.

Recognition of a meaning to existence that transcends Recognition of a meaning to existence that transcends one's immediate circumstances.one's immediate circumstances.

• The experience of meaning and unity. The experience of meaning and unity.

• Having to do with deep, often religious, feelings and beliefs, Having to do with deep, often religious, feelings and beliefs, including a person’s sense of peace, purpose, connection to including a person’s sense of peace, purpose, connection to others, and beliefs about the meaning of life.others, and beliefs about the meaning of life.

• concerned with or affecting the spirit or soul; "a spiritual concerned with or affecting the spirit or soul; "a spiritual approach to life"; "spiritual fulfillment"; "spiritual values"; approach to life"; "spiritual fulfillment"; "spiritual values"; "unearthly love""unearthly love"

SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF ASPECTS OF TEACHING TEACHING

MIDDLE SCHOOLMIDDLE SCHOOL

To put the world right in order,To put the world right in order,we must first put the nation in order;we must first put the nation in order;To put the nation in order,To put the nation in order,we must first put the family in order;we must first put the family in order;To put the family in order,To put the family in order,we must first cultivate our personal life;we must first cultivate our personal life;We must first set our hearts right We must first set our hearts right

Confucius Confucius

"If I don't hold a spiritual space "If I don't hold a spiritual space within myself within myself then I can't invite students then I can't invite students to share their gifts with me. "to share their gifts with me. "

Parker Palmer Parker Palmer

COMPASSION…CARING…COMPASSION…CARING…LOVELOVE

““To feel true compassion for all beings, we must To feel true compassion for all beings, we must remove any partiality from out attitude toward remove any partiality from out attitude toward them. Our normal view of others is dominated them. Our normal view of others is dominated by fluctuating and discriminating emotions…. by fluctuating and discriminating emotions…. Genuine compassion must be unconditional… Genuine compassion must be unconditional… We must kead our minds skillfully, and with We must kead our minds skillfully, and with patience and perseverance we shall find that patience and perseverance we shall find that our concern for the well-being of others will our concern for the well-being of others will grow.”grow.”

An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday LifeEveryday Life by the Dalai Lama by the Dalai Lama

Compassion…. Caring….. Compassion…. Caring….. Love…Love…Kindness verses caringKindness verses caringby Rick Smithby Rick SmithConsciousness Classroom ManagementConsciousness Classroom Management• BoundariesBoundaries• ConsistencyConsistency• Following throughFollowing through• ConsequencesConsequences• GuidanceGuidance

ACCEPTANCEACCEPTANCEFORGIVENESSFORGIVENESS

The teacher provides a space within The teacher provides a space within themselves so they can take into themselves so they can take into themselves the uniqueness of others so themselves the uniqueness of others so they can mirror it back." they can mirror it back." bell hooksbell hooks

““You are going to make a thousand mistakes You are going to make a thousand mistakes and I get to forgive you a thousand and and I get to forgive you a thousand and one times.”(Ann Mary Roberts)one times.”(Ann Mary Roberts)

Joy and Joy and LaughterLaughter

"Laughter is the sun that drives the winter "Laughter is the sun that drives the winter from the human face."--Victor Hugo from the human face."--Victor Hugo

"The human race has but one really effective "The human race has but one really effective weapon, and it is laughter." – Mark Twainweapon, and it is laughter." – Mark Twain

AA merry heart does like good medicine, but merry heart does like good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones" a downcast spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22) (Proverbs 17:22)

Chuckle, chortle giggle, Chuckle, chortle giggle, guffaw,guffaw,

belly laugh, snicker, smilebelly laugh, snicker, smile Deep laughter is sort of like a mini-vacation Deep laughter is sort of like a mini-vacation

for our minds, which of course has everything for our minds, which of course has everything to do with what's going on in our bodies. From to do with what's going on in our bodies. From a medical perspective, it's been proven that a medical perspective, it's been proven that humor and laughter play a vital role in humor and laughter play a vital role in expediting the healing process. expediting the healing process. Dennis Merritt JonesDennis Merritt Jones

““The Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice PurposeThe Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life."in Your Life."

Mindfulness and Mindfulness and DetachmentDetachmentMindfulness is to become completely Mindfulness is to become completely

alive and live deeply each moment of alive and live deeply each moment of your daily life. Mindfulness helps you your daily life. Mindfulness helps you to touch the wonders of life for self-to touch the wonders of life for self-nourishment and healing. nourishment and healing.

Thich Nhat HahnThich Nhat Hahn

Detach………Detach………Detach……..Detach……..Detach……….Detach……….

Work hard at the task….. Work hard at Work hard at the task….. Work hard at continually fine tuning yourself….. Work continually fine tuning yourself….. Work hard at balance……hard at balance……

Then let go…….Then let go…….

CONTEMPLATION CONTEMPLATION INTROSPECTIONINTROSPECTION

We must look at ourselves and upon the day We must look at ourselves and upon the day fearlessly with compassion and non- judgmentfearlessly with compassion and non- judgment

We must daily reconnect with the qualities want We must daily reconnect with the qualities want to foster to foster

Reflection can slowly bring us to Reflection can slowly bring us to wisdom.wisdom.

Sogyal RinpocheSogyal Rinpoche

BREATHE OFTENBREATHE OFTENBy freeing the breath one learns to breathe By freeing the breath one learns to breathe through difficult or uncomfortable experiences through difficult or uncomfortable experiences and feelings where the tendency has been to and feelings where the tendency has been to hold one's breath. Energy from a denied hold one's breath. Energy from a denied experience can be freed up and released. The experience can be freed up and released. The after-effects of this can be an enormous sense after-effects of this can be an enormous sense of relief. Old patterns of holding begin to of relief. Old patterns of holding begin to gently break up and a new sense of aliveness gently break up and a new sense of aliveness enters as the breath anchors one's self in the enters as the breath anchors one's self in the present. present.

http://www.breathe-mag.co.uk/http://www.breathe-mag.co.uk/

FAITHFAITHSURRENDERINGSURRENDERING

Everything is unfolding as is shouldEverything is unfolding as is should

We plant seeds and will never know what We plant seeds and will never know what comes to fruitioncomes to fruition

Teaching middle school is an act of faithTeaching middle school is an act of faith

Questions Questions and and

ClosureClosureCODE:3295CODE:3295

Ann Mary RobertsAnn Mary RobertsRadford UniversityRadford University

aroberts@radford.eduaroberts@radford.edu

BibliographyBibliography• Dalai Lama, (2001). An Open Heart: Dalai Lama, (2001). An Open Heart:

Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life. Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life. Boston: Little Brown and Company. Boston: Little Brown and Company.

• Durka, Gloria, (2002). The Teachers Durka, Gloria, (2002). The Teachers Calling: A Spirituality for Those Who Calling: A Spirituality for Those Who Teach. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. Teach. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press.

• Kurtz, Ernest and Ketcham, Katherine, Kurtz, Ernest and Ketcham, Katherine, (2002). The Spirituality of Imperfection: (2002). The Spirituality of Imperfection: Storytelling and the Search for Meaning. Storytelling and the Search for Meaning. New York: Bantam Books.New York: Bantam Books.

Bibliography continuedBibliography continued• Merton, Thomas (1961). New Seeds of Merton, Thomas (1961). New Seeds of

Contemplation. New York: New Directions Publishing Contemplation. New York: New Directions Publishing Company.Company.

• Nagel, Greta, (1998). The Tao of Teaching: The Nagel, Greta, (1998). The Tao of Teaching: The Ageless Wisdom of Taoism and the Art of Teaching. Ageless Wisdom of Taoism and the Art of Teaching. New York: The Penguin Group.New York: The Penguin Group.

• Nouwen, Henri, (2001). The Way of the Heart: Nouwen, Henri, (2001). The Way of the Heart: Connecting with God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Connecting with God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence. New York: Ballentine Books.Silence. New York: Ballentine Books.

• Palmer, Parker, (1998). The Courage to Teach: Palmer, Parker, (1998). The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life. Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.