I really liked Desiree's recent post over at The Green Momster on dancing and environmentalism. I particularly liked her point about the important of the second dancer. People who know me well know that one of my pet peeves about education is that there is too much "leadership" training, and not enough "follower" training. Of course, people who know me well also know that I can be a pretty cranky follower!
There are no known videos, fortunately, of me dancing. This is as close as you can get (and it also shows me being a crabby follower!):
Thanks! I think if we looked really hard, we could find a dancing Osler video....
ReplyDeleteOften a very quiet 'Dancer'...
ReplyDelete'Going Green' is a wonderful catch phrase in architectural design, though many privately financed renovation or new construction projects begin with visions of 'all things green' and energy efficient. Reality - 'return on investment' concerns often smothering...
A client initially dancing the 'quick step' during conceptual design requires the design team to listen intently before exciting with visionary possibilities - a slow, often 'seductive' waltz often the best way to open hearts and minds to benefits for client, community and planet.
Incremental fees collected by large energy / environmental players used on rebates for efficient mechanical systems implementation often the thread (magnate) to the woven together input of many that hopefuly invites many to the 'dance' - though entrance gained to the ball room does not all 'wall flowers' eliminate.
Known to be quietly loud, and always 'soft and sultry,' often attracts the skeptic to eventually 'sign' your dance card...
Thank you Desiree for the wonderful post and (may I assume) your environmental passions and related concerns...
What a great video. Leadership courses and program have been the thing in recent years in Higher Ed. And that is very true on my campus. That is not a bad thing, yet a lot of it rings more than bit hollow for me. From my window such programs often attract student that are very goal driven and that like to take control to begin … along with other student as well. Once again, not bad things. And even through there is increasing use of group projects in education, there is scant attention paid to the skills associated with being part of a community and the various supportive roles that are important to being a part of a group. Such that, in such groups, you are too inclined to get a configuration of over functioning students that take over and do all the work … and the slackers that have little interest/motivation … whose behavior reinforces the behaviors of the over function “leaders” (driven by their fear of the slackers and bad grades) and reinforces their won slacker behavior. The wicked webs we weave … and no one learns anything new about being part of community. Where is the training, as Mark suggests in followership … and more so in character development???
ReplyDeleteWhat a great video. Leadership courses and program have been the thing in recent years in Higher Ed. And that is very true on my campus. That is not a bad thing, yet a lot of it rings more than bit hollow for me. From my window such programs often attract student that are very goal driven and that like to take control to begin … along with other student as well. Once again, not bad things. And even through there is increasing use of group projects in education, there is scant attention paid to the skills associated with being part of a community and the various supportive roles that are important to being a part of a group. Such that, in such groups, you are too inclined to get a configuration of over functioning students that take over and do all the work … and the slackers that have little interest/motivation … whose behavior reinforces the behaviors of the over function “leaders” (driven by their fear of the slackers and bad grades) and reinforces their won slacker behavior. The wicked webs we weave … and no one learns anything new about being part of community. Where is the training, as Mark asks, in followership … in discipleship … and more so, in character development???
ReplyDelete