Gentle Teaching International is an ever-growing worldwide community of people and organizations who work together, developing, promoting, and strengthening the values of Gentle Teaching. Globe Star co-founder and executive director of Quality of Life Institute, Inc., Dr. Anthony M. McCrovitz, has been a longstanding board member of the GTI organization, and a presenter for the annual conferences.
This year’s sold out event was held the first week of October in Amsterdam. Engagement was part of this year’s theme, and Dr. McCrovitz spoke on engaging the heart of inquiry, and illustrating how to compose and engage in dialogue with Gentle Teaching.
A sense of BELONGING is a universal longing to feel connected. It is a unifying awareness of our own existence that awakens with companionship and becomes understood within a context of others that creates a sense of community.
What conditions need to be in place for effective dialogue? For teaching and cultivating companionship and a sense of community?
The heart of inquiry asks meaningful questions that invite connectedness, exploration, and shared learning. Engaging the heart of inquiry, through dialogue, is a way of creating conditions that invite one’s curiosity and learning.
The organic processes for engagement and learning, creating companionship and a sense of community with others, is like working in a garden; as long as we maintain the conditions needed for growing, the outcome will be a sustainable one. It may not be exactly “right,” but as long as we are keeping ahead of the weeds and cultivating the foundation of safe, loved, loving and engaged (the four pillars of Gentle Teaching), it’s nearly impossible to not have growing awareness, learning, and positive outcomes.
As parents and professionals, inquiring and reflecting on how we are engaging in our interactions does much to mutually support outcomes of Gentle Teaching. A framework of Gentle Teaching inquires of us: ‘how are we valuing? how are we teaching? how are we protecting? how are we modeling/mirroring for one to reciprocate?’
Nice summary. Wish I could have been there!