This chapter on transformation struck home on several levels. The first being the essential NEED for transformation “Effective transformation creates the potential for memorability.” (Ohler, 2008. pg. 108) Repeating the same cycle of actions over and over is not only boring from a story telling perspective, but when no changes are made, there is no growth. I have been at my job over a year now and was still feeling isolated. I am secure in my competence and how I handle my duties, but there is a lack of connectivity. I’d been thinking it will come with time, if I just kept doing what has always worked before, things will start to click. They didn’t and I was getting frustrated and wondering if I had made a mistake. What I realize now is that by clinging to my old actions I had left no room to grow-BORING.
While I had always been respectful, I was trying to lead staff and provide service to a population with serious challenges with techniques and approaches that were unsuited. My skills didn’t transfer and my achievements didn’t matter. Essentially, I‘ve finally identified the imperfection!
While the book is about teacher / student applications, “You can use the taxonomies to facilitate a conversation with students…” (Ohler, 2008. pg. 111) The Eight Levels of Transformation table put what I had experienced so viscerally myself recently into a logical order. And I was able to see how stories could be a way to make the connections I have been missing.
I always appreciate that inner reflection and seeing how what you're reading relates to your experience. In fact it's the main plus to all this blog writing, seeing how it lands in other people.
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