The student, who more importantly is also a friend, wanted to see me and talk. So we made an appointment to meet in my study. I had no clue what she wanted to ask, share or tell me. I have done this for so many years, I never try to guess what might come my way. Too many times in my younger years as a teacher, I tried to guess. I would guess it might be a chit chat and turn out to be much more serious. Sometimes, I feared it would be a heavy conversation and it turned out to be light and full of laughs.
Relationships are often complicated. If it is a business relationship---perhaps transactional in nature---then little is needed to make it work. A transactional relationship says basically, “I need that and you give me this.” In a classroom this kind of relationship is the agreement between the student and faculty that some knowledge will be given and learned by the student for some kind of grade and credit. There is no real relationship---just an exchange. Of course, I have had my share of these over the years, but that is not my goal as a teacher.
The other kind of relationship that is usually described is the transformational. Again in the context of a college classroom, a transformational relationship should affect both the faculty and the student and, indeed, all the students in the room. Our being together in the learning process should be such that we not only learn and add to our knowledge. We should learn about each other and precipitate growth and development in other ways, too. This asks for commitment, engagement, openness and willingness. It may ask for even more than this, but let’s stick with these four.
Transformational relationships normally require a commitment. I allow they might happen serendipitously, but most transformational experiences come through commitment and some work. There usually is some effort that leads to results, like growth, wisdom and maturity. I have thought about commitment and our current society and culture. I don’t know whether people are less likely to commit than twenty years ago or fifty years ago. Older people probably think people don’t commit like they used to.
I do know part of my leadership in the classroom is to help students commit. To be transformed by the educational process asks that we commit to the process. It will require some effort---determination, discipline and the like. Commitment helps us stay with the process when it gets hard. I also know without commitment, the second aspect of transformational learning probably won’t happen. To be transformed, we will need to be engaged. Engagement means the student “buys in.”
Engagement is normally a commitment expressed through action over time. Engagement is seen through participation. It is easy to be a spectator in life. We sit on the sidelines and watch the action. We may vicariously suffer the losses and celebrate the victories of others. This happens all the time in sports. My team may win the Super Bowl and I feel good in the moment. But I know it is not really my win. My life is no different.
The third aspect of transformational learning is openness. I have to be open to change, growth and development. Probably the only other way it can happen to me is through a crisis. I don’t recommend that! To be transformed will change me. I need to be open to the fact that I will be changed---I will grow, develop, deepen, etc. If I am open, it means I choose to be vulnerable. To be open means that I make myself available to change and that I won’t totally try to control the situation. To be vulnerable means I am not in complete control.
This points to the last feature of transformational learning, namely, willingness. I presume that everyone in a classroom---maybe even the classroom of life---needs to be willing to be transformed. Again, a crisis might do it to us. But more often, transformation comes through my willingness. Willingness implies choice. To be willing means I say yes to transformational possibility. Without this willingness, there will be no commitment, engagement or openness.
I am sure my friend, the student, did not think about all of this stuff when she sat in the chair and began the conversation. But when she began to tell me she liked the class and that she was very aware of how she was growing and becoming a different person, I realized she was talking about transformational learning. It does not have to be painful and awful. In fact, she told me it was fun.
I hope in some way this can become a paradigm for the good life. I want to live a good life, which for me is a life with meaning, purpose and a big dose of love. I can’t imagine most people wouldn’t want the same. I think this is what my younger friend is discovering. It won’t necessarily change her career path. But it will change---indeed, transform---the kind of human being she will become. It will affect everyone with whom she comes in contact.
Spiritually speaking, my desire is that everyone in the world is up for transformation. It is what God most hopes for us. It is good news and is designed to offer us a good life.
Relationships are often complicated. If it is a business relationship---perhaps transactional in nature---then little is needed to make it work. A transactional relationship says basically, “I need that and you give me this.” In a classroom this kind of relationship is the agreement between the student and faculty that some knowledge will be given and learned by the student for some kind of grade and credit. There is no real relationship---just an exchange. Of course, I have had my share of these over the years, but that is not my goal as a teacher.
The other kind of relationship that is usually described is the transformational. Again in the context of a college classroom, a transformational relationship should affect both the faculty and the student and, indeed, all the students in the room. Our being together in the learning process should be such that we not only learn and add to our knowledge. We should learn about each other and precipitate growth and development in other ways, too. This asks for commitment, engagement, openness and willingness. It may ask for even more than this, but let’s stick with these four.
Transformational relationships normally require a commitment. I allow they might happen serendipitously, but most transformational experiences come through commitment and some work. There usually is some effort that leads to results, like growth, wisdom and maturity. I have thought about commitment and our current society and culture. I don’t know whether people are less likely to commit than twenty years ago or fifty years ago. Older people probably think people don’t commit like they used to.
I do know part of my leadership in the classroom is to help students commit. To be transformed by the educational process asks that we commit to the process. It will require some effort---determination, discipline and the like. Commitment helps us stay with the process when it gets hard. I also know without commitment, the second aspect of transformational learning probably won’t happen. To be transformed, we will need to be engaged. Engagement means the student “buys in.”
Engagement is normally a commitment expressed through action over time. Engagement is seen through participation. It is easy to be a spectator in life. We sit on the sidelines and watch the action. We may vicariously suffer the losses and celebrate the victories of others. This happens all the time in sports. My team may win the Super Bowl and I feel good in the moment. But I know it is not really my win. My life is no different.
The third aspect of transformational learning is openness. I have to be open to change, growth and development. Probably the only other way it can happen to me is through a crisis. I don’t recommend that! To be transformed will change me. I need to be open to the fact that I will be changed---I will grow, develop, deepen, etc. If I am open, it means I choose to be vulnerable. To be open means that I make myself available to change and that I won’t totally try to control the situation. To be vulnerable means I am not in complete control.
This points to the last feature of transformational learning, namely, willingness. I presume that everyone in a classroom---maybe even the classroom of life---needs to be willing to be transformed. Again, a crisis might do it to us. But more often, transformation comes through my willingness. Willingness implies choice. To be willing means I say yes to transformational possibility. Without this willingness, there will be no commitment, engagement or openness.
I am sure my friend, the student, did not think about all of this stuff when she sat in the chair and began the conversation. But when she began to tell me she liked the class and that she was very aware of how she was growing and becoming a different person, I realized she was talking about transformational learning. It does not have to be painful and awful. In fact, she told me it was fun.
I hope in some way this can become a paradigm for the good life. I want to live a good life, which for me is a life with meaning, purpose and a big dose of love. I can’t imagine most people wouldn’t want the same. I think this is what my younger friend is discovering. It won’t necessarily change her career path. But it will change---indeed, transform---the kind of human being she will become. It will affect everyone with whom she comes in contact.
Spiritually speaking, my desire is that everyone in the world is up for transformation. It is what God most hopes for us. It is good news and is designed to offer us a good life.
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