Transformational
Narratives
You are invited
to bring a photo, drawing and/or story about a transformational moment
in time to share in small group discussions with co-participants in this
interactional workshop on Transformational Narratives. The vicarious experience
of hearing and sharing stories is emotionally evocative and energizing
and can be healing for those who wish to share an adversity story. Solveiga
is looking forward to the opportunity to facilitate a co-creative experience
of change.
Solveiga
Miezitis, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Adult Education and Counseling Psychology
She started
her career as a trainer of School Psychologists in the Dept. of Applied
Psychology in 1966 and conducted research in Prevention and Intervention
of Childhood Depression in the Schools. Her doctoral work and other research
interests were related to Creativity. Solveiga has taught courses in Creativity
and Wellness to over 500 students since 1997 when she moved to the Dept.
of Adult Education and Counseling, where she has also taught courses in
Narrative as a Vehicle for Personal Change, Leadership for Change, Personal
Values and Organizational Change. She continues teaching on stipend this
fall.
Jack Miller introduces his new book - Transcendental Learning: The Educational Legacy of Alcott, Emerson, Fuller, Peabody and Thoreau. This book discusses the work of five figures associated with transcendentalism concerning their views on education. Alcott, Emerson, Fuller, Peabody and Thoreau all taught at one time and held definite views about education. The book explores these conceptions with chapters on each of the five individuals and then focuses the main features of transcendental learning and its legacy today. A central thesis of the book is that transcendental learning is essentially holistic in nature and provides rich educational vision that is in many ways a tonic to today.’s factory likeapproach to schooling. In contrast to the narrow vision of education that is promoted by governments and the media, the Transcendentalists offer a redemptive vision of education.
John
P. (Jack) Miller, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Curriculum,
Teaching, and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
(OISE) at the University of Toronto and Head of OISE’s Centre for Teacher
Development. He has also been Visiting Professor at Shinwa Women’s University
in Kobe, Japan, and at Rietsumeiken University in Kyoto, Japan. Professor
Miller teaches courses in holistic education and spirituality in education.
He has also led workshops and given keynote addresses on those topics at
conferences around the world. Notable among his many books, chapters,
and journal articles are Holistic Learning and Spirituality in Education:
Breaking New Ground (2005), Education and the Soul: Toward a Spiritual
Curriculum (2000), The Contemplative Practitioner (1994), Holistic Learning:
The Teacher’s Guide to Integrated Studies (1990), The Holistic Curriculum
(1988), The Compassionate Teacher (1981), and Humanizing the Classroom
(1976). His writing has been translated into seven languages.
Seeta
Nyary - "How You Really Feel?" - How do you really feel? An Emotional Workshop
How true are
you being to yourself? Do you hide some olds ghosts or act positive for
it’s own sake? Do you say (or do) the things you really need to say or
do? Ultimately, we want to be true to our own divine natures. This workshop
will give you an approach (personal or for use in the classroom) that acts
as a tool to be and work with some of those lofty experiences, while cultivating
your natural intelligence that can ultimately arouse your natural warmth
and basic goodness. So don’t conceal those unwanted emotions, tell us,
and most importantly yourself, how you really feel!
Seeta
Nyary:
works and studies at OISE. She is a Holistic Learning Conference
committee member. Her interest lies in understanding human relations including
the relation to one’s self.
Young-Yie Kim - "Compassion in Schools: Life Stories of Four Holistic Educators" - "As an educator with many years’ teaching experience in the Ontario public school system, one of my great concerns is the heightening degree of violence in our schools today. I believe the root of violence lies in a disconnection between education of the mind and education of the heart. The purpose of my study was to investigate various ways of nourishing compassion in our schools through life stories of four holistic educators who nurture a connection of mind, body (heart), and spirit. At the workshop, I will discuss the findings from my research, after which we will have some hands-on activities related to compassion education, followed by a short discussion."
Young-Yie Kim - "I came to Canada in my twenties to become a Core French and later French Immersion teacher, equipped with a Master’s in French Linguistics and a Bachelor’s in Education. Additionally, I am qualified to become a principal in both elementary and secondary panels and to teach Vocal Music. After teaching 29 years in Ontario public schools, I pursued my studies at OISE/UT where I recently obtained a PhD in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning. My next research project is to find ways of bringing happiness into schools. On a personal note, I love reading, dancing, music, and yoga practice. I also enjoy Buddhist temple stays in South Korea."
Merlin
Charles - "Linking theory and practice through teaching presence: the root
of holistic education"
What is teaching
presence and how can it be cultivated in the teaching-learning environment?
An increasing number of educators at all levels are realizing the importance
of this question. Yet, despite its importance in education, there has been
little research on teaching presence. This workshop links theory and practice
through the exploration of doctoral research findings. Gain insight
into teachers’ and students’ perceptions of teaching presence and how it
can be cultivated to bring about balance, connectedness and inclusiveness
in the classroom and beyond.
Merlin Charles is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto. As an active member of the student, teacher and parent community, Merlin is particularly interested in matters related to the promotion of social justice and change in education. Through her on-going involvement as a Teacher Education Program Assistant (TEPA) at OISE, as well as a community college instructor, Merlin combines holistic and communicative approaches to second language teaching and learning.