Listening importance
EDITORIAL
I
t appears that art teachers, like most educators, need to talk and tell stories—about their schools, students, teaching experiences, and ideas. In fact, it seems that no matter what a particular meeting, workshop, conference or convention presentation is about, the discussion eventually becomes centered upon or surrounded by teachers 'stories. Telling these stories through simple talk, presentation, the written word, and/or the visual arts addresses only half of art teachers ' needs for communication. The other half, of course, is listening.
In truth, there are few motives in our human experiences as powerful as the yearning to be listened to, to be taken seriously, and/or to matter to other people (Nichols, 1995).
According to French philosopher
Jean-Luc Nancy (2003/2007), "To be listening i.s always to be on the edge of meaning, or in an edgy meaning of extremity, and as it the sound were precisely nothing else than this edge, this fringe, this margin ... a resonant meaning, a meaning whose sense is supposed to he found in resonance, and oniy in resonance" (p. 7).
In other words, listening—really listeningis filled with meaning, and that meaning reverherates within us, changes us, and makes us more than we were before. Listening is indeed a risky undertaking that often reveals personal, political, community, and/or interpersonal conflict.
It may go without saying that because of the sheer magnitude of sound, voices, and alerts that fill our world each day, we make listening choices. Experiences also affect how hearing takes place because of the simple fact that stories seem to repeat themselves.
ART EDUCATION/JULY 2008
whether from students, new or experienced teachers, administrators, children, and/or colleagues, some stories just appear age-old and predictable. Selective listening is what many of us are prone to practice as we become more experienced or if we must listen to a topic we are not
I
t appears that art teachers, like most educators, need to talk and tell stories—about their schools, students, teaching experiences, and ideas. In fact, it seems that no matter what a particular meeting, workshop, conference or convention presentation is about, the discussion eventually becomes centered upon or surrounded by teachers 'stories. Telling these stories through simple talk, presentation, the written word, and/or the visual arts addresses only half of art teachers ' needs for communication. The other half, of course, is listening.
In truth, there are few motives in our human experiences as powerful as the yearning to be listened to, to be taken seriously, and/or to matter to other people (Nichols, 1995).
According to French philosopher
Jean-Luc Nancy (2003/2007), "To be listening i.s always to be on the edge of meaning, or in an edgy meaning of extremity, and as it the sound were precisely nothing else than this edge, this fringe, this margin ... a resonant meaning, a meaning whose sense is supposed to he found in resonance, and oniy in resonance" (p. 7).
In other words, listening—really listeningis filled with meaning, and that meaning reverherates within us, changes us, and makes us more than we were before. Listening is indeed a risky undertaking that often reveals personal, political, community, and/or interpersonal conflict.
It may go without saying that because of the sheer magnitude of sound, voices, and alerts that fill our world each day, we make listening choices. Experiences also affect how hearing takes place because of the simple fact that stories seem to repeat themselves.
ART EDUCATION/JULY 2008
whether from students, new or experienced teachers, administrators, children, and/or colleagues, some stories just appear age-old and predictable. Selective listening is what many of us are prone to practice as we become more experienced or if we must listen to a topic we are not
References: Barber, B. R. (1984). Strong demQcrai:y: Participatory politics for a ne 'n-age Levin, D. M. (1989). The listening self. Oxford, UK: Routledge. Nadig, L. A, (2006J. Tips on effective U.-iteiung. Retrieved February 18, 2008 from http;//www.(lrnadig.com/listening. Nichols, M. ( 1995). The lost art of listening. New York; Guilford.