Going with the Flow1: Teaching as Being,2 not Technique

Jay Martin Hays

Unitec Institute of Technology

Auckland, New Zealand

ABSTRACT

This paper explicates and integrates a number of concepts, principles, and practices that bear on the

experience and efficacy of teaching and learning. Grounded in the philosophies and theories of

ontology, existentialism, phenomenology, epistemology, and pedagogy / adult education, as well as

Eastern perennial tradition,3 the notion of Teaching as Being is explored and contrasted with the

“doing” of teaching and teaching technique. Being and doing are shown to be qualitatively different,4

with the former superior in aspects of humanity and the human condition such as authenticity,5

relationship and relating, and fulfilment. Teaching as Being focuses attention on the experience of

teachers and students, highlighting that experience is inextricably linked to learning. As the quality of

the experience varies more or less positively so does learning. Evidence provided suggests that what

is learned and the kind of learning that takes place are deeper and more transformative than might be

the case in a more conventional approach. Conventional teaching skills and methods are cast as

platforms for teaching at a higher level, necessary foundations for qualities of being in the classroom,

including the dynamic and reciprocal nature of presence, agency, and flow between teachers and

students. While not discounting conventional teaching skills and methods, over-reliance on and

overemphasising them are limiting, deceptive, and perhaps even counterproductive. Suggestions for

increasing being and flow in the classroom are provided, and caveats, considerations, and

implications for higher education teaching and learning are discussed.

1 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was perhaps the first scholar to research and popularise the concept of flow, publishing an

impressive list of articles and books on related subjects from the mid-1960s onward. In terms of flow, this paper

draws mostly on Csikszentmihalyi’s (2002) Flow: The Classic Work on How to Achieve Happiness. Ackerman’s

works (1986 referenced here), though directed to organisational leaders, provide basis for the notions of energy flows

between and amongst teachers and students. See, also, Dreher (1996): The first two chapters in her thoughtful work,

The Tao of Personal Leadership, address flow (zanshin), process, and the role of energy flow in, around, and

between people. Teaching as Being also draws on the theory and practice of improvisation theatre (Gesell, 2006)

and certain elements of Dialogue to represent energy flows in group dynamics and interaction (see Hays, 2009, for an

overview of the research in the area; also Isaacs, 1993 and 1999). Finally, Vogt (2005) critiques Csikszentmihalyi’s

notions of flow and happiness, finding it insufficient to explain “what makes human life human (p. 119), and adding

his insights on human capabilities theory and how to achieve “human flourishing.” 2 Teaching as Being may be a new expression, if not a new idea. The author has found no scholarly works using

Teaching as Being as connoted here. It is acknowledged, however, that Peter Vaill (1996), coined or popularised the

phrase “learning as a way of being” with his book Learning as a Way of Being: Strategies for Survival in a World of

Permanent White Water. At least four of Vaill’s seven ways of learning as ways of being (LWB) are relevant to

Teaching as Being: Creative, Expressive, Feeling, and Reflexive, with the latter two of particular relevance. 3 See Dhiman (2002) and Smith (2007) for examples of perennial [wisdom] traditions, as used here. 4 See Table 1 for a comparison of “teaching as being” and “teaching as doing.” Howard (2002) distinguishes and

examines the relationship between “our being” (who we are) and “our doing” (what we do) in her paper on learning

in the workplace. Rowan (2002), while writing on psychotherapy, maintains that there are only three ways of

relating to clients: instrumental, authentic, and transpersonal. He notes that the transpersonal form of relating

involves Being (a state of consciousness), Doing (the actual techniques and methods), and Knowing (the theory as to

what is being done). These forms of relating apply directly to teachers and students in Teaching as Being. 5 Hartman and Zimberoff’s (2003) article on existentialist therapy addresses the social, cultural, and spiritual

concerns of life, what they refer to as the “human condition.” “Becoming a more spontaneous, confident, and

effective person is not the result of becoming a better ‘you’ or something new, but of becoming a more truly you,”

writes Gesell (2006; p. 19). Driver’s (2007) paper on meaning and spirituality at work offers insights on

authenticity. Also see any of the following for observations on and applications of authenticity: Harvey et al (2006),

Novicevic et al (2006), and Zhu et al (2004).

Foreshadowing

Ever since I was very young teachers and parents said I had a way with people. And, from the time

I was twelve or so, people said I was a “born teacher” and a “natural” trainer or coach. I took the

feedback and praise in stride, neither knowing what it was that I did that was so special nor

appreciating the implications for my future; I just did what came naturally. Through adult eyes and

the dimming of experience that occurs over time, I still know that time disappeared when I was

tutoring schoolmates or coaching soccer. Nothing seemed like work, really, and both I and my

“charges” enjoyed our time together learning new things and developing new skills. Everything

was simple then… simply wonderful: effortless, seamless, and fulfilling. I thought that was how

teaching was. Then, responding to both external urges and a nascent calling from within, I began

studying to become a teacher. I learned all about instructional design, motivation, and classroom

management technique. I was exposed to the science of pedagogy and a confusing array of

learning theories. I realised, then, how lacking my own practice had been, with no structure, rules,

or logic. I was deflated, though hopeful that my newfound grasp of theory and practice would

enable me to become an exemplary teacher.

My first years of teaching were onerous, frustrating, and disappointing. No matter how hard I tried

and how “best practice” my lessons were, neither I nor my students were enjoying the experience

of learning. In classes, energy was low and attendance was poor. Everyone—myself included—

was happy when semester finished. And, even though exam results and course evaluations

confirmed that most students were getting the material sufficiently, I was empty and feeling burnt

out. Worse, I was questioning my decision to teach and wondering how long I could keep on

going.

Introduction

Beginning a paper on teaching with a disheartening example is unconventional and, perhaps,

irrational. It is, however, nonetheless compelling. As we will see, Gabriel’s story, as begun

under the heading Foreshadowing, has an optimistic and inspiring conclusion. But arriving at

that destination is only meaningful when the journey is understood. Gabriel’s journey is an

important undertaking of relevance to teachers, trainers, facilitators, coaches, counsellors,

supervisors, and others who would serve to support and promote the learning and development of

other human beings, and—of particular concern in this paper—students.

There are undoubtedly amongst readers at least some for whom Gabriel’s story rings familiar,

either having experienced something like Gabriel or know someone who has. While not all

readers will have ever naively thought that teaching is inherently effortless and rewarding,

anyone who teaches (of their own volition) believes (or once did) that it is an important,

meaningful, and fulfilling career, if not an enjoyable one. These purposes, or desirable outcomes,

drove Gabriel to become a teacher. He had experienced what teaching can be like, and wanted a

career that could provide him and those he served with a sense of elation and accomplishment.6

The glimpse into Gabriel’s life afforded above has within it the crux of this paper: teaching (and

learning) is as much about being and experiencing as it is about knowledge, technique, skill, or

media. This is especially true when assessing not merely a teaching event or activity, but when

6 In seeing teaching as service and students as amongst those whom he serves, Gabriel wants to do well for them, he

wants them to benefit, to be fulfilled and transformed through the learning experience. For Gabriel, teaching is not

just a job or a chance for his own aggrandisement or ego titillation, but an opportunity to contribute—a privilege and

a weighty responsibility. Bowman (2005), Hays (2008a), and Herman and Marlowe (2005) have each written on

teaching as service (the teacher as servant leader). In addition, there is a rich – if small – body of literature on

servant leadership. Hays (2008a) provides a fairly useful and current set of references. Two of the most recent,

subsequent works include: Ramer (2008) – medicine; and Sussan et al (2008) – education.

considering teaching over a long period or as a career. Sustaining enthusiasm, commitment, and

a sense of “freshness” may be as challenging as it is important. This paper considers how a

teacher may find and sustain these attributes, as well as how they instrumentally impact teaching

and, thus, learning. Passion for a subject, for instance, has little to do per se with teaching skill,

method, or technology. Yet, as many students and teachers report, a teacher’s love for subject

and fervent delivery of material make a huge difference in the classroom. The difference is a

qualitatively experiential one having significant

implications for both teachers and students.

Unfortunately and paradoxically, fixation and

reliance on delivery may actually impede the quality

of the delivery, eroding experience and undermining

the potential learning that might occur (Dall’Alba,

2005; van den Berg, 2002).

As a youth and unencumbered by notions of best

practice, Gabriel relates naturally to his “charges.”

While roles are clear and separate, “teacher” and

student experience and relate to one another in

dynamic interaction7 as two (or more) human beings

engaged in common pursuit of something important

to both. Gabriel can “forget time,” devoting all his

intention, focus, and energy to the task at hand,

because he feels little to no self-consciousness about

his teaching. He is just “doing what comes

naturally.” Free from preconceptions, external standards, self-consciousness, and other

handicaps, Gabriel can “just be” with his charges, authentically and fully present.8 This allows

Gabriel and his charges to co-exist within the same learning space, co-creating the learning

activity and what it means to them.9 They can be “as one” within the moment10, not separated by

7 By dynamic interaction is meant a natural “flow” between teacher and student or amongst teacher and students, an

uninterrupted giving and receiving and mutual creation of meaning (as opposed to more static exchanges or

transactions). See, also, Footnote 10. 8 Amongst elements of central concern in Teaching as Being are three crucial aspects: presence, authenticity, and

agency. See corresponding box insets; and, for authenticity, Footnote 5. Presence is covered in its own section later.

Refer to any of the following for elucidations and applications of [human] agency: Alkire (2005), Bandura (1989),

Bleiker (2003), Chen (2006), Courvisanos (2006), Garikipati and Olsen (2008); also Piper (2004), cited elsewhere in

this paper.

Not only are presence, authenticity, and agency Teaching as Being manifest, but they also are “ways of being” about

which students can develop a consciousness and begin to embody themselves as a fundamental part of their personal

and professional development—their becoming. This is part of a process of moving from (transcending) a view of

education as merely acquiring knowledge (know that) and skill (know how) to more sophisticated understandings at

and beyond the level of “know why” (see the section of epistemology for distinctions amongst these types of

knowing).

Take leadership as an example. From an educative perspective, the [practical?] difference is that between a course

“about” leadership (factual, rational, clinical, abstract, objective, safe, distant) and one that “is” leadership (messy,

contextual, experiential, subjective, personal, intimate, threatening). It is easy to teach and learn about leadership

from a safe distance; it is another thing entirely to embody and experience leadership first-hand. 9 This draws on constructivist theory (see Kumar, 2006), and ideas on the social construction of meaning: (Gherardi

et al, 1998; Sense, 2005). 10 In the moment is an important concept. Being “in the moment” implies a full and engaged presence, spontaneity,

responsiveness, and flexibility that allow one to “go with the flow”: to remain present during, adapt to, and capitalise

upon shifts in topic, activity, and personalities (roles taken, shared, and handed-over) as currents of energy ebb, flow,

and migrate in a dynamic classroom. In the moment classroom events figure prominently in Wheeler and McLeod’s

(2002) paper on teaching effectiveness. In their case, in the moment classroom events are cast as difficult and

stressful occurrences (crucibles?) the effective resolution of which leads to improved learning, classroom dynamics,

Presence

In this connotation, presence is “being there,” fully involved in dynamic activity and reciprocal relating. It has a mindful sense in terms of being alert and aware of being there, not in a self-conscious way but in so far as being conscious of involvement and how ones behaviour may be influencing others and the overall process, and how one is reacting and responding to others and emerging situations. Presence concerns being engaged, and knowing you’re engaged and how. In teaching, it is about feeling “a part of” the dynamic learning environment as opposed to “detached from, outside, or over” it. Presence enables responsiveness: it is about being receptive, flexible, spontaneous; it is about letting go, letting come, and engaging with and capitalising upon learning moments as they arise.

Authenticity

By authenticity or authentic presence is meant being really there, not just fully present as implied by presence, but genuinely and honestly there. This is the “what you see is what you get” or the “real deal” view. The genuine teacher gives little thought to generating an acceptable persona or managing the perception of professionalism, but gives of him- or herself as he or she really is. Thus, students gain insight into the real uniqueness and humanity of the teacher. It is liberating to be real, to not have to manufacture and maintain an identity, to just let ones own essence emanate. In such a presence, students can also be themselves which, for too many, unfortunately, can be a unique opportunity.

artificial and unnecessary divides. (Such divides might be mental or physical, as discussed later.)

Learners are likely to be much more engaged—fully in the moment—when the teacher is freely

and fully present.

Unfortunately, Gabriel experienced first-hand the contrasting possibilities in teaching. His

childhood experiences were blissful and empowering (accepting that some of the more difficult

aspects were forgotten with the passing of time). His adult, professional experiences were

disappointing and dispiriting. While there are many possible explanations for this and the causes

are likely complex, one of the overarching differences is that with adulthood, professional

credentialing, and the responsibilities inherent in the title “teacher,” Gabriel determined that “he

had to get it right.” That is, that effective teaching embodies a set of knowledge and skills in

addition to and on top of subject matter expertise in which it may already be difficult to remain

current. Whether or not he would be held accountable for teaching mastery, Gabriel felt obliged

to incorporate and demonstrate best practice in his teaching. Some of the more well-known

examples are presented later under the heading Pedagogy. In so doing, Gabriel paradoxically,

unintentionally, and unconsciously distanced himself from the aspects of teaching he loved best

and that comprised his natural strong suit. In distancing himself from “what came naturally,” he

distanced himself from his students as well.

Without understanding the cause, the divide plagued Gabriel and undermined his teaching and,

thus, the actual learning taking place and the experience of learning. This is not to say that

instructional skill and methodology are irrelevant or in and of themselves counterproductive.

They have helped many teachers and trainers

organise their lessons and present material

efficiently and will continue to do so. They

have especially helped novice teachers and

those lacking content confidence to get past

difficult starts and to keep on track. The

point is that there is much more to the story

of teaching effectiveness and the experience

of teaching (and learning) than instructional

skill and methodology. By the same token,

it is not content expertise, per se, that enables

good teaching, as we have probably all

experienced from either the teacher’s or

student’s perspective, if not both. It is how

content (facts, theorems, principles, etc.,) is put into perspective, embodied, contextualised, and

made relevant that accounts for much of the difference between mechanical and meaningful

teaching.11

Given the above, Teaching as Being, not Technique proceeds from this proposition:

Instructional skill and methodology (technique) may be necessary to effective teaching and

learning (especially for immediately-measurable learning outcomes and for some particular

and teacher-student relationships. Teachers might react to these challenges by becoming more rigid and controlling,

which is counterproductive. They need to respond flexibly and adaptively “in the moment” to capitalise on these

opportunities. In contrast to the view put forward by Wheeler and McLeod (2002) Teaching as Being is “all the

time” – a global orientation of responsiveness and presence – (not merely a positive response to problematic events

and students), but like these scholars Teaching as Being sees all occurrences, shifts, even disruptions and distractions

as opportunities for learning upon which the always-ready teacher can capitalise. 11 This begs the question, can one teach mechanically for meaningful learning?

types of material) but they are insufficient in producing deep, transformative learning12 or

enabling rich experiences of learning amongst teachers and students.13

Back to Gabriel’s story, while legitimate debate is possible concerning whether or not as a youth

he organically, inherently, and unwittingly incorporated and demonstrated best practice principles

and theory into his teaching and whether or not his “charges” objectively learned and could

demonstrate specified knowledge or skills, of more interest here is how richly Gabriel and his

charges experienced the learning (and each other). In addition to the foundational proposition

stated above, supplementary propositions addressed in this paper are that:

1. Teaching (and learning) are not just tasks dealing with specified content (learning objectives)

more or less effectively. They are experiences, more or less positive. They need not remain

merely transactions, but can become transformations.

2. The experience of teaching and learning can be described and assessed. That is, more positive

experiences can be distinguished from the less so. Both teachers and students can and do assess

and describe the experience.

3. The quality of the learning experience influences (a) not only what is learned but also (b) how

teachers and students think about learning, which would impact on other current and future

learning scenarios.

4. The learning experience of both teachers and

students is mediated by teaching style and instructional

methodology; and, thus, making learning situations

more encouraging and rewarding is within our control.

5. The learning experience of students (and, thus,

impacting on teachers’ experience) is mediated by

learning style or orientation.14

6. What and how students learn in the Teaching as

Being environment is qualitatively different than in

12 There are many insightful and helpful sources on transformational learning. Hays (2008b) presents a useful

overview of transformational learning and provides an extensive set of relevant references in his article “Threshold

and Transformation.” Particularly germane to Teaching as Being is Piper (2004) who undertakes the topic of

transformative learning in his work on the phenomenology of self-awareness. Kegan (1994) wrote that

transformative learning represents how someone changes “not just the way he behaves, not just the way he feels, but

the way he knows—not just what he knows but the way he knows” (p. 17). We will not debate at this time whether

deep, transformative learning is [always] needed or desired. 13 Dall’Alba (2005) notes that by “focusing on epistemology [knowledge and skills acquisition], we fail to facilitate

and support … transformation [to skilful practice]” (p. 363). Van den Berg (2002) concludes that “teaching and

learning do not involve only knowledge, cognition, and skills [but] also involve an affective component or

‘emotional practices’” (p. 586). In terms of Teaching as Being, students and teachers don’t just think and do, they

feel, they experience. 14 This is not a topic undertaken substantially in Teaching as Being, but the author recognises that students may be

more or less “receptive” to the practice of Teaching as Being depending on both prior experience and predominating

learning styles. See, for example, Nelson and Harper (2006) and Boström and Lassen (2006) who, by the way,

submit that “learning should facilitate changes in ways of being or acting, in changed ways of thinking or feeling,”

(p. 184).]

Agency

The basic idea of agency is that human beings have control over their behaviour and can be agents of their own actions (as opposed to having their actions ordained and constrained by external structures). Agency associates with efficacy and autonomy. Teaching as Being asserts that people (students) have a right and an obligation to express agency and develop it to its fullest potential.

more conventional classrooms. This is measurable. Learning is probably deeper, more

individual, and of a higher level of complexity. These may pose a variety of challenges, not the

least of which is to typical assessment regimes.

The underlying thesis and main premise of Teaching as Being is that:

A teacher’s authentic and full presence and engagement in the classroom are essential to

creating the richest possible classroom experience for self and students. This includes

adapting to and capitalising upon the dynamic flow of energies, topics, and opportunities for

learning as they arise.15

Experience and Efficacy

In this paper the author attempts to explicate and integrate a number of concepts, principles, and

practices that bear on the experience and efficacy of teaching and learning. The purpose of this

endeavour is to propose an approach to teaching that reveals the inherent insufficiency of

instructional technique and technology and emphasises neglected aspects of teaching and

learning.

Experience. Experience, here, applies to both teachers and students. The term was deliberately

chosen to suggest that teaching and learning are not just a one- (or even two-) way transmission

of content—that which is to be learned—between teacher and student, or even amongst teacher

and students collectively. Teaching and learning are qualitative experiences. While content

matters (for example, some topics or material are more interesting to teachers and students than

others), quite separate from content, teaching and learning (or not) are experiences, felt or

perceived physically and emotionally, as well as cognitively. The experience can be animated

and exciting, poignant or wrenching, blasé or, perhaps, preoccupied: richer or poorer, depending

on many factors. Some, if not most, of those factors are within the control of teachers and

students, or at least can be influenced by them. This paper explores those factors and how

teachers and students can—without deception, manipulation, or artifice—affect those factors and,

thus, improve the overall experience of the learning situation, including and not insignificantly

the relationship between teachers and students and amongst students themselves. The quality of

the experience is enhanced for both teachers and students. They may experience and express it

differently, but both would know a better from a worse learning scenario and be able to

meaningfully describe it, as the vignettes presented later compellingly illustrate.

Efficacy. Efficacy as a term was chosen to describe the potentiality of teaching and learning in

their fullest and richest effectiveness: a potential for transcending modest or mediocre standards

and expectations to exceptional levels, and the real opportunity to increase both the scope of

learning and the quality of the experience for teachers and students alike. Efficacy implies the

ability to produce meaningful and desirable outcomes. Efficacy and efficacious behaviours are

instrumental in making good things happen. As will be elaborated, however, efficacy here does

not merely imply efficiency, as in the methodical management or production of stipulated

performance measures linked to prescribed learning objectives employing the best prescribed

approach. In fact, much of the “goodness” of education – the quality of the teaching and learning

experience and its potential to enable extraordinary outcomes – is lost in the effort to deliver the

methodologically-soundest and technologically most-sophisticated instruction. In our striving for

precision and replicability, and favouring technique, technology, and even skill, we are in danger

of losing sight of the humanity and deeper meaning of teaching and learning. Attention focused

15 Hence the paper’s title “Going with the Flow.” See Senge, et al (2005), under complementary readings, for a

significant treatment of “presence”, and the brief section on presence in this paper further along.

Being Doing

Students are doing, active, busy; responsible for success of each activity and their—and their classmates’—learning.

Teacher is doing, active, busy; responsible for success of each activity and the learning of all students.

Teacher is attuned to what might be done, and how to capitalise on each passing moment, and how to enrich each topic and activity.

Teacher is attuned to what must be done, maximising efficiency of each passing moment, ensuring each topic and activity are the best uses of everybody’s time.

Teacher democratic with students having much say in how things are run.

Teacher authoritative; decides most matters, and is more directive.

Teaching tends to be more conversational and facilitative. Teaching tends to be more lecture-based and didactic.

Interaction is omnidirectional, students interact frequently and intensely with one another, as well as with the teacher.

Interaction tends to be question and answer, between student and teacher.

All are seen as resources, students and teacher. Teacher seen as main resource.

Individual students and groups of students alternate as focal points, as well as the teacher.

Teacher is main focal point.

Class management loose and informal. Class management rather formal, and can feel restrained.

Agenda based around general objectives and outcomes desired, but flexible. Departures the norm.

Agenda fixed with respect to objectives, activities, and timing. Departures seen as exceptions and problematic.

Principles-based – what’s important are the underlying principles and how they can be adapted within and by the class.

Content-based. Whatever the content is it must be covered. What’s important is what was planned to be instructed.

Organic flow to material, with topics and intensity rising, falling, and shifting almost as if they have “a life of their own.”

Logical flow to class (material) delivery. Sequence and progression important. Instructional design mastered. Delivery best practice “by the book.”

Teacher tends to be spontaneous and extemporaneous, doing “what comes naturally” and capitalising on “the learning moment.”

Teacher tends to be planned and methodical, ensuring what needs to be covered is covered, more or less according to plan.

Lessons often greater than the planned content might suggest; opportunities to integrate, reinforce, and extend material are rife. There tends to be lots of “big picture.”

Lessons generally consistent with the lesson plan and cover designated content. The picture stays within the frame.

Learning tends to be very active and experiential. Students take part in instruction.

Learning tends to be more passive. Students receive instruction.

Students assessed as to the level they show deep understanding by applying the material in a variety of contexts.

Students assessed in accordance with the specified material and generally in a format resembling the way it was taught.

Teacher “mixes it up” with students. Teacher keeps a safe distance.

Class is like a community or team. Everyone gets to work with one another to get to know each other.

Class is more regimented and purposeful.

Lessons (indeed significant portions of a semester) may seem chaotic, disorganised, lacking in structure and clear direction, and devoid of “content.” Students may not know what is expected of them or what they are learning.

Lessons are well-organised, with clear structure and direction. Students know what they are expected to learn and how they will be assessed. There is little ambivalence, ambiguity, or equivocation.

Class may drift “off assigned / planned topic;” class can fall behind on scheduled material.

Class stays on topic and on task. Schedule is adhered to as if it were a contract.

Table 1. Comparison chart of “being” and “doing” showing general contrasting distinctions / tendencies.

on “best practice” and maintaining control, we miss the preciousness of the learning moment,

unaware of its passing. In light of this, instrumental efficacy, then, is more about facilitating,

creating, fostering, supporting, enabling, and permitting [“letting learn,” as Heidegger (1968, p.

15) has said], than it is about prescribing, controlling, or measuring.

Converging Experience and Efficacy. What enables a teacher to most effectively create and use

rich learning circumstances are certain attributes that have to do with being, more so than skilled

doing or expert knowing. This ontological stance might be represented by expressions such as

“being there,”16 “in the moment,” “finding yourself,” “going with the flow,” (and even the much

touted as of late “authenticity” or authentic presence). Such states of being allow the teacher to

respond to and capitalise upon opportunities as they arise, such as might be the case when a

student asks a question or makes a comment that seems off topic or proposes an unexpected or

ostensibly “wrong” answer to a problem. Perhaps flexible and generative response to such

occurrences is not new to readers, but many would appreciate that any teacher “fixed” on a

particular instructional objective and associated strategy, with a prescribed correct answer in

mind and a preferred method of reaching it, would find it difficult to see other possibilities, make

the best of the opportunity presenting itself, or even “regroup” after getting off track or losing

presumed momentum. Add to this the problem of “time management” (sticking to a tight and

packed schedule in order to cover all preordained material) and a teacher has little room to

manoeuvre.

Having dealt with the terms experience and efficacy and their place in teaching and learning, we

will now focus briefly on presence, as it plays such a central in Teaching As Being. Following

this short, but essential discussion, we turn to the set of concepts, principles, and practices alluded

to in the opening paragraph of this paper.

Presence

A teacher’s presence in the classroom is as important, if not more so, than the instructional skill,

teaching method, or technology employed to bring intended content across to students.17 This

may even hold true for content expertise. Many readers would be familiar with brilliant experts

who have trouble connecting with or relating to students. A single-minded focus or dependence

on content (at the expense of process) may actually impede learning and undermine experience.

For some teachers and other leaders the answer, and perhaps the way there, is obvious; they have

little patience for learners who don’t

automatically “get it,” see other

possibilities, or just need to spend more

time with the problem—being with it, so

to speak.

Amongst other things, presence concerns

and is manifested by an authentic “being

there” in the classroom or other learning

16 It is hard to resist referencing the great feature film Being There, starring Peter Sellers (nominated for best actor)

and co-starring Shirley MacLaine and Melvyn Douglas (who did win an Oscar for best male supporting actor).

While misunderstood and attributed with profound wisdom, Chance was just “being there” authentically expressing

his existence as a gardener whose only exposure, ironically, to “real” life was television. (Being There, 1979;

directed by Hal Ashby and written by Jerzy Kosinski.) 17 Please note that the author uses “students” or sometimes “participants” as opposed to “learners” (his preference) to

allow for the notion that both teachers and students can and should be learners. One of the core concepts, here, is

“teacher as learner,” drawing on the notions of humility and, from Zen Buddhism, “the empty cup” metaphor.

S O

C C

Awareness Engagement

self other

content context

Figure 1. Presence: awareness and engagement.

environment or situation. Presence involves an awareness of self, other(s), context, and content

and full and spontaneous engagement with the dynamics of the learning situation.18 This is

represented simply in Figure 1.

Along with other holistic principles for management development drawn from Taoism that in

many ways capture of essence of Teaching as Being and remaining in flow state, Shefy and

Sadler-Smith (2006) align presence with being centred. “We remain centered,” they write, “by

being present,” adding “The centeredness principle calls for the managing of the here and now.”

(p. 372; emphasis added). In “Tools for Transformation,” one of Gesell’s (2006)

recommendations for improving team performance is to “focus on the present.” Staying in the

present, he explains, involves: resisting “the urge to plan, evaluate, or anticipate what others will

do”; responding “in the moment and only to what is available”; and keeping our “minds open and

focused on what is happening rather than on what is expected or desired” (pp. 16 – 170;

emphasis added). For teachers this means that one cannot be spontaneous and fully in the

moment if “scripting” your own or your students’ thoughts, words, or actions. The same, of

course, could be said of students who may be so busy trying to manage the perceptions of them

held by teachers and other students (to look and sound smart) that they fail to be fully present and

authentic. Impression management is hard work and could reasonably be expected to impede

being and flow, and the richness of experience they have to offer.

Csikszentmihalyi (1997) himself characterised flow as focused and intense concentration on the

present, on the “here and now,” where action and awareness are merged, and distractions are

excluded from consciousness. He notes that self-consciousness disappears and there is little

worry of failing: “we are too involved to be concerned with failure” or to worry about how we

look” (pp. 10 – 11). This comes about, he believes, because there are clear goals and immediate

feedback in flow circumstances, and because of a balance between the challenge and the agent’s

competence and confidence. Csikszentmihalyi’s (1997) work generally applies to Teaching as

Being. One slight adaptation might be to consider broader learning outcomes over specific goals

that might limit classroom spontaneity and interaction dynamics. This shift applies to feedback

as well, allowing for wider and unspecified student responses and other behaviours. This requires

of the teacher heightened flexibility and receptivity to what students may be learning and how

they may be demonstrating it.

In “Being Present at your own Life,” authors Gunn and Gullickson (2003) affirm the preceding

notions on presence, and identify some of the distracters that impede it, including anger,

resentment, worry, anxiety, second-guessing, guilt, and desire for approval. Their

recommendation for becoming more frequently and fully present is patience: “staying easy and

alert as things unfold” (p. 14). They continue that we must:

drop our expectations of what should be or has been;

stop comparing things to what has happened before or to what someone else has done or is

doing;

eliminate or dampen the urge to exert effort or control (“The more effort and control we try to

apply, the more we limit the number of possibilities available to us.”)

18 The environment or context envisaged here and in which the learning dynamics of concern apply most directly are

the classroom setting or lecture theatre—that is, in situations where teachers and students interact face-to-face.

While the concepts, principles, and practices discussed here should be of interest and relevance to teachers

employing virtual, technology-mediated instruction, their incorporation poses unique and different challenges.

While such instruction may moderate, diminish, or obviate the impact of presence, that discussion is beyond the

scope of this paper and should be the focus of separate investigation. Readers are referred to Smith (2006) who

entertains these issues in her article on best practices in distance education.

learn to remain calm as this allows us to connect with and stay connected to our own internal

resources and others around us when we need them most.

Patience, write Gunn and Gullickson (2003; p. 14; emphasis in the original),

makes room for the interplay of thinking, clarity, and connection. Some would term this a

state of profound concentration—of being completely aware of yourself and others and being

able to perform with ingenuity, verve, and spontaneity. It is the power of presence that allows

the leader to fulfil her fundamental responsibility: sustaining and environment in which people

feel confident enough to do their best.

This quote has significant implication for Teaching as Being, especially if we replace “leader”

with teacher and people with “students.” Students are not at their best when they are “…just

telling you what you told me,” as a student recently said in response to the professor’s critique of

the young fellow’s lack of insight and inability to apply the material in a novel situation. They

are not at their best when they can sufficiently repeat dot points from lecture slides or text

readings. In contrast, they are at their best when they can be inventive, resourceful, adaptive;

when permitted – encouraged – to go where they haven’t gone before and maybe even where the

teacher has not gone. When they are willing and able to do that, they are ready for the real world.

A passage from Senge et al’s (2005) engaging and insightful book on presence captures its

essence with respect to Teaching as Being, and provides segue to the following section. Their

thoughts on both “letting go” and “letting come” are germane. Here we may also be reminded of

Heidegger’s notion of teaching as “letting learn” cited previously.

We first thought of presence as being fully conscious and aware in the present moment.

Then we began to appreciate presence as deep listening, of being open beyond one’s

preconceptions and historical ways of making sense. We came to see the importance of

letting go of old identities and the need to control and, as Salk said, making choices to serve

the evolution of life. Ultimately, we came to see all these aspects of presence as leading to a

state of ‘letting come,’ of consciously participating in a larger field for change. When this

happens, the field shifts, and the forces shaping a situation can move from re-creating the

past to manifesting or realizing an emerging future. (pp. 13 – 14).

Letting go and letting learn in the classroom (by both teachers and students) is necessary if we

are to move beyond replicating the past and perpetuating the status quo, and truly moving

forward – allowing what will to emerge – into the realm of the new, the creative, and the

necessary.

Teaching as being is about, if nothing else, presence. The author has both been and witnessed the

teacher who is there in body (barely) only, going through the motions, perhaps preoccupied by

other interests, obligations, or woes; sometimes driven by the material or his own needs and

expectations, and essentially unconscious of or at least unresponsive to student needs and the

opportunities of the moment. It is tedious and boring. No wonder that students fail to turn up

and fall asleep when they do, and that professors can’t wait to return to their offices or labs to

continue their work. It is a vicious cycle. That spiral downward, however, can be reversed.

Teaching as Being holds the virtuous promise of inspiration, aspiration, and action.

Theoretical, Philosophical, and Conceptual Background

Given the prominence of such ambiguous, but none-the-less profound ways of being expressed as

“being there,” “in the moment,” “finding yourself,” and “going with the flow” featured

previously, it may come as no surprise that Teaching As Being draws on a range of philosophies

and sciences increasingly linked19, but seldom amalgamated and incorporated in the literatures on

teaching and learning. These are brought together in this next section, which briefly examines

and integrates ontology, existentialism, phenomenology, epistemology, pedagogy, and Eastern

philosophy and wisdom into one coherent set.

Teaching as Being seems a simple enough concept at first blush. Those three simple words are

deceivingly complex, however, immensely deep and wide-ranging. Throughout history,

profound thinkers have endeavoured to understand mind, meaning, and wisdom—to make sense

of the world—and convey that sense to others through, amongst other modalities, teaching.

These and related themes touched upon in this paper are both timeless and universal. Questions

of existence and what it means to exist, for example, have not been conclusively answered and,

perhaps, may never be. Metaphysical questions may remain ultimately unanswerable, but that

does not mean that they are not worth asking.

Teaching as Being raises questions of teaching and learning to a level seldom undertaken. It is

not that the practical and technical of teaching and learning are irrelevant or unimportant, but

rather that being and the experience of teaching and learning are neglected. It may be that deeper

questions of meaning may seem indulgent and unessential in this fast-paced environment where

quick and tangible results are all that matters. We researchers may unintentionally fracture the

wholeness of teaching and learning by focusing, for example, on a particular medium or method

and on what may be immediately observed and measured. As teachers, preoccupation with

technique or technology may mask that “something is missing” for us and our students, or detract

us from thinking about what it is that more fundamentally is eroding the experience of teaching

and learning. We may be so captivated by the medium or the message—trying to “make

meaning”20—that we can fail to be, allow our students to become, or to create a meaningful

experience for ourselves and our students.21

19 Ikehara (1999), for example, links gestalt therapy, organisational learning, holism, and existential

phenomenology. Hays (2007) assembled a range of theoretical and philosophical frameworks in his portrayal of

organisational wisdom. Nicolaides and Yorks (2008) present an epistemological thesis on lifelong learning that

integrates construction of meaning, complexity theory, experiential learning, and enquiry. Goleman’s (2003), Ricard

and Thuan’s (2001), and Wheatley’s (1999) books, all referenced under complementary readings, bring together

“new science” concepts and traditional wisdom principles and practices to help us understand human behavior. 20 “Make meaning” in this case is pejorative and coercive, implying that teachers can or even should force meaning

upon students. At the same time, it is recognised that meaning-making occurs across contexts, including teaching

and learning, is desirable, and is often conceived of as a leadership requirement and a crucial capability. Allard-

Poesi (2005), Schwandt (2005), and Weick (1995) have contributed significantly in this area. In a brief but insightful

article, highly relevant to Teaching as Being, Liu (2003) notes that meaning is created “moment-by-moment, based

on one’s openness to seeing meaning possibilities” and that “life is a continuous creation rather than a series of

unconnected experiences and activities” (p. 23). 21 The notion of becoming is as important as the notion of being. Becoming expresses ideas inherent in terms such as

emergence, maturation, unfolding or opening, and evolution, dynamic properties of life and learning, as opposed to

static paradigms. Fabry (cited in Liu, 2003) writes that meaning is defined as the freedom to become. Bowers

(2005) speaks of students becoming through dialogue and deeply ontological interaction in the classroom, something,

he asserts, can only happen when students and teachers are involved “in the moment.” “The self,” then, “is

understood to be always under construction…” (Piper, 2004; p. 287; emphasis in the original) [and earlier] “part of

the continual flow of experience” (p. 286). See also Sturdy, et al, (2006) and their qualitative study on existential

and emotional aspects of learning, what they refer to as “learning as becoming.” Finally, Akan (2005) distinguishes

modern and post-modern ontology, with the former stressing being (things are as they are) and the latter emphasising

becoming (things are coming into being).

This neglect has unfortunate and unnecessary costs. First of all, it robs teachers and students of

the fulfilment and bliss inherent in teaching and learning, qualities accessible when “losing

oneself” in the task or “in the moment.” Secondly, neglecting things that matter more

fundamentally in favour of specific and fragmentary knowledge, skills, or even entertainment

comprises a vicious cycle. Very functional, pragmatic, and mechanical instruction is not likely to

be inspiring, hopeful, or compassionate, not to mention integrating, holistic, or humanising. With

both teachers and students disenchanted with teaching and learning, or at the least focused on

practical (and perhaps trivial) concerns, few will be inclined to invest themselves wholly.

Education will become, like so many things, transactional rather than transformational.22

So, while this paper cannot do justice to either teaching or being separately, not to mention

collapsing the two constructs into one, Teaching as Being asserts that both, separately and

together, are worthy of a deeper look. A synthesis of teaching and being offers a unity and

harmony amongst elements too often treated independently, an intellectual and practical division

that undermines a natural companion or symbiotic state. This unified state of being or experience

can be productive and sustaining for both teachers and students, generating deeper and more

meaningful learning and relationships than could ever be attained in more mechanistic and

transactional instruction.23

Foundations for such assertions “exist” in several related streams of philosophy and science:

ontology and epistemology (from metaphysics); existentialism; and phenomenology. Pedagogy

is not silent on deeper and more meaningful dimensions of teaching and learning either, as we

will see below. Buddhist and Taoist teachings are included in this section as well because of

deep parallels and significant points of convergence between the Eastern perennial traditions and

these Western disciplines. Each of these topics is briefly described here and linked to the central

points advanced in Teaching as Being.

Ontology. Ontology is the study of the nature of being. As a science, ontology involves

observation and representation of phenomena; its task is to reveal the type and nature of the

22 Transactional instruction is contrasted, here, with transformational, with the former characterised by exchanges:

teachers provide certain learning content and students return it in kind, in the better cases adding something to it or

using it in novel situations. Transactional learning is not a common concept and when referred to is used in a

positive sense, more interactive and engaging than transmission, which is one-way (Wason-Ellam, 2001) or to denote

experiential learning of transactional skills, such as needed in business (Hannon, et al, 2000) and law (Freeman,

2008). Transformational learning implies that the learner is somehow changed through and as a result of the learning

process; knowledge and skills are not merely exchanged (or even accumulated), but the learner is more of a person,

transformed, uplifted. The usage and comparison, here, is similar to that between transactional and transformational

leadership, as introduced by James MacGregor Burns (1978) in his much lauded Leadership. From the large range

of sources available on transformational leadership, Bass and Steidlmeier’s (1999) paper is compelling, well-

rounded, and widely-applicable. 23 As used here, mechanistic teaching or instruction is a machine metaphor or paradigm (Griffin, 2008; Sementelli

and Abel, 2007). Not merely used in the sense of teaching “automatically” or on “auto pilot” but in the engineering

sense of instruction designed with precision to deliver set standards of performance and predictable, measurable

outcomes (as if teaching were a rather static “closed system”). A large part of Axley and McMahon’s (2006) critique

of management education centres around what they call its “mechanistic grounding,” an outmoded way of thinking

and organising that undermines higher education and leaves graduates unable to deal with the complexities and

ambiguities of the modern world. This mechanistic paradigm can be productively compared to an organic or

organismic metaphor, teaching more characteristic of “complex adaptive systems”, responsive, adaptable, and

evolutionary (Brodbeck, 2002; Hall, 2005). Such a system envisages teachers and students in mutual, dynamic

interaction. They are not just being independently, as corresponding machine parts, they are inter-being (Hahn,

1991), intrinsically related and interdependent.

phenomena under investigation (Scholz, et al, 2006).24 With “being” in the title of this paper and

the quintessence of Teaching as Being, reference to ontology is mandatory and at least a

minimum understanding of ontology essential.

Ontology’s concerns are existence and meaning: what does it mean to be? Teaching as Being is,

then, clearly an ontological notion or expression. One is a teacher, which accords identity and

everything that goes along with it. This is contrasted with teaching (as “to teach”), which is an

active, doing endeavour. One may teach (and, presumably teach technically well) without being

a teacher. One may also be a teacher and seldom experience being as intended here. Moreover,

teachers and non-teachers alike can experience Teaching as Being—more than a state of mind or

consciousness, a state of body-mind (Shefy and Sadler-Smith, 2006) where the teacher is in touch

with her deepest self and intimately connected with those she is teaching. Teaching as Being is

more than identity, ego, role, skill, knowledge, or technique. It is full presence and engagement,

the experience of them, and the efficacy and fulfilment that such being-in-the-moment enables.

Heidegger is the quintessential ontologist (although there is reason to place him as an

existentialist, as well, and as a phenomenologist (see Waugh, 2004). Without going to the

original source, for instance Heidegger’s Being and Time25, much of Heidegger can be

understood by reviewing applications of his philosophy in such works as Bolle (2006), Dall’Alba

(2005), Hyde (2005), and Sewchurran (2008). Interestingly, ontology takes centre stage in

Courvisanos’ (2006) article on human agency in novelty and innovation.

Ontology consists of two main streams that attempt to explain causality of human behaviour (in

terms of being and existing), an external one (structuralism) and an internal one (agency).26

Neither fully explain human behaviour, and both are relevant in terms of teaching and learning.

For our purposes here, a teacher might work to create conditions in her classroom that overcome

entrenched assumptions and behaviours whose cumulative effects include intractable student

passivity, dependence, deference, and surface learning; while encouraging and enabling students

to find and express themselves—to come into being as more mature learners. The teacher cannot

do this through instruction alone or by setting assessment and assignments intended to get

students to “go deeper,” but must live (role model) the values and aspirations at the heart of

meaningful teaching and learning: Be the learner you want your students to become. Teachers

must connect with students in a meaningful and genuine way, a task virtually impossible in

transmission and factory models of instruction. It may be a given that teachers must be authentic

– to be who they really are – if they are going to relate to students in an authentic way, and to

bring out the unique human being at the heart of each student—commitments of the ontological

teacher.

In Teaching as Being students are encouraged to be and to become. They are not merely seen as

one side of the transaction equation and limited by outmoded pedagogical notions, including

24 A second (less metaphysical) understanding of ontology is that it is concerned with the basic categories of things

and their relationships. Thus, you will see ontologies used in or as knowledge structures (see, for example, Linstead

and Brewis, 2007, or Baqir and Kathawala, 2004). 25 One source (translation) is: Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and Time. Macquarrie, J., and Robinson, E. (trans.).

London: SCM.

26 Dixon and Dogan (2003) explain and distinguish ontology and epistemology in their analysis of global

governance failure. Ontology, according to the authors, consists of structuralism and agency, while epistemology

comprises naturalism and hermeneutics. Taking this, they show in a 2 x 2 grid that four methodological families

arise from a juxtaposition (matrix) of ontology and epistemology, producing: naturalist structuralism and

hermeneutic structuralism, and naturalist agency and hermeneutic agency.

adhering to a strict instructional regime and mastery of specified content as assessed through

standard examination or performance under prescribed conditions. In the Teaching as Being

classroom, the ontology of being a student is rewritten. What it means to be “a student” or “a

teacher” is turned on its head with students being much more active in setting and conducting the

learning agenda and teachers taking on more supportive and facilitative roles. Students’ being is

limited only by their potential to become and the teacher’s capacity to “let learn,” (within time

constraints of the semester and other parameters that cannot [yet] be altered).

Existentialism. Where ontology is about being, the fundamental concern of existentialism is

meaning. Where does meaning come from and what is the value or place of meaning? Other

concerns of existentialism are identity and purpose. Why exist and how? A central tenet of

existentialism is that meaning is individual and conferred by human beings, and a critical aspect

of this is the notion of choice. Things that people care about having, knowing, doing, or being

are choices. In choosing the things we care about, we imbue meaning to our existence. (This is

not a debate about God or higher explanations of life and existence; some existentialists believe

in God, e.g., Kierkegaard, while others do not, e.g., Nietzsche.) In addition to Kierkegaard and

Nietzsche, other early and prominent existentialists include Husserl, Sartre, Camus, Jaspers, and

Marcel. Heidegger may also be considered to be an existentialist.

Since choice is important, it follows that freedom, or free choice, is likewise important, and this is

a strong undertone amongst existentialists27. Existentialism stresses individual experience

(Ikehara, 1999) and authenticity (Cohen, 2003; Jackson, 2005). Having the freedom to choose

and making free choices are tantamount to authenticity or “being real.” This is of central

importance to Teaching as Being. Not only is authenticity crucial to rich experience and relating,

as discussed previously, but the Teaching as Being classroom embodies freedom and choice.

While total equality and absolute freedom are seldom fully achieved, the existential classroom is

as Democratic and empowering as possible. Unnecessary limits removed, students can

experience themselves, each other, and their teacher more authentically. They may move the

course and its instructor, and one another; they may become new, more complete individuals.

As will become clear, the existentialist paradigm is closely related to phenomenology. Useful

background on the existentialist movement and applications to public administration can be found

in Waugh (2004). Ford and Lawler (2007) present a formidable paper on existentialist (and

constructionist) approaches to leadership studies, providing a good overview of existentialism.

They go into some detail on Sartre’s views on being, identifying three forms: being in itself

(unreflective), being for itself (reflective), and being for others (reflecting on being objectified by

others). This thinking on the reflective self is particularly applicable to Teaching as Being as

reflective practice may be instrumental in fostering greater appreciation for and significant shifts

in being.

Phenomenology. Phenomenology, as the name suggests, is the interpretive study of phenomena:

what things mean to people and how we make sense of the world. The phenomenon or object of

study might be an emotion, relationship, situation or event, or idea. What sets phenomenology

apart from many other scientific disciplines or approaches is that it centres on the actor’s own

27 Hartman and Zimberoff (2003), in their impressive overview of existentialism and its place in therapy, identify

five pervading themes, generally applicable to Teaching as Being, one of which is this notion of freedom of choice

and responsibility for the consequences of our choices. The additional four are: Meaning is found in the living of

each moment; expression of ones humanity is manifest in passionate commitment to purpose and values; openness to

experience affords the greatest fulfilment of potential; and in the ever-present face of death we find commitment to

life. There are, by the way, clear parallels between their work and the Buddhist psychology of Brazier (2003), one of

the complementary readings.

perspective: how the world is experienced. Like existentialism, phenomenology stresses

individual experience and interpretation. This being the case, everyone will have his or her

unique interpretation of a given phenomenon. The four different perspectives presented in the

next section of Teaching as Being are representative of this phenomenological stance.

Husserl (1859 – 1938), mentioned previously as an existentialist, was one of the original

phenomenologists. He, and a successor, Schutz (1899 – 1959), were amongst those who

introduced phenomenology, a movement still gaining interest today. Phenomenology appears

recently in a range of studies. See Metcalfe and Game (2008) for an interesting paper on teaching

and learning focusing on dialogic pedagogy, which incorporates phenomenology, making

reference to some of the most influential phenomenologists, including Hegel, Sartre, Buber, and

Merleau-Ponty. Bolle (2006) writes on “existential management,” referencing Heidegger and his

view that people are continually designing themselves anew (becoming). Existentialism and

phenomenology are often linked as in Olivares, et al’s (2007) framework for understanding

leadership experiences, and in van den Berg’s (2002) study on teachers’ meanings.

Phenomenology is relevant to teaching and learning, and to Teaching as Being in particular, in

that being a teacher or student in a given situation and confronting its material, or substance, is

experienced differently and individually. The four vignettes that follow are individual

interpretations of the same event. Each view is very different, and each is true for the observer.

Each actor gets something else from the teaching situation. The phenomenological approach

taken here isolates and legitimates each interpretation and experience. Taken as a whole, the

complexity, richness, and diversity inherent in the scenario are revealed, producing an entirely

different and much more encompassing understanding of what actually transpires in a teaching

encounter. The implications of this are profound, and far exceed what might reasonably be

considered to be the “stuff” of an instructional period, as defined and constrained by learning

objectives, activities and strategies, resources, and assessment.

Epistemology. Epistemology is the theory and study of knowledge, including generating,

integrating, and using knowledge (Scholz, et al, 2006). Epistemology is experiencing a high

point currently with continuing interest in Knowledge Management and organisational learning

(see Cook and Brown, 1999; Gueldenberg and Helting, 2007; and Hall, 2005, for interesting KM

and OL applications), and explains part of the rapid growth of Communities of Practice

(Gherardi, 1998; Hays, 2007b). Teaching as Being is less concerned with knowledge than many

expositions on teaching and learning might be because, as previously mentioned, being is

emphasised over knowing and doing. This paper starts from the assumption that most classrooms

are predominated by epistemology (what is knowledge (and, thus, what needs to be learned)) and

pedagogy (what is the best way to teach), leaving scant room for being.

Nevertheless, being a teacher presumes a certain base of knowledge and skill. Also implied in

teaching and learning is that students acquire knowledge and skill. Epistemology, then, remains

an important element of the Teaching as Being classroom and, thus, of this paper. What is

learned and how remains a concern of teachers, students, administrators, parents and guardians

(in some cases, at least), employers, and other stakeholders, issues taken up in Kumar’s (2006)

article on constructivist epistemology. Boyles (2006 presents an essay on epistemology and

classroom practice that is relevant, here, as is Hung et al’s (2006) article on constructivist

epistemologies in learning communities. Gherardi et al (1998) consider the relational nature of

learning. They describe it as ontological (what they refer to as people “being-in-the-world”) and

epistemic (abstract knowledge).

There is also a distinction between learning and teaching the realisation of which seems to be

growing in importance. In a world characterised by phenomenal rates of fundamental change,

static knowledge (what is known or “what exists”) becomes less important than the capacity to

continually learn and adapt in a dynamic way to what is not, yet, known. What does not, yet,

exist or is “coming into being” has profound implications for business, schools, and societies.

How best to prepare employees, students, and citizens for problems and opportunities that do not,

yet, exist, but may present themselves soon, remains an open question. But conventional

methods of instruction with one right answer and a preferred method of arriving at it are not the

way. At best, they reproduce what is already known and how accepted knowledge is attained.

Teaching and learning for “real-world” and potential problems – the uncertain and ambiguous;

the best solution amongst imperfect alternatives; for problems impacting diverse stakeholder

groups, all wanting something else – poses challenges to teachers and learners alike. Few people

are really comfortable and effective in unpredictable situations, a condition exacerbated by years

of education being a certain way, where roles are clearly defined and expectations reinforced

through word and deed, not to mention the systems upholding them, such as workloads and

promotion criteria, course requirements and sequencing, course outlines (syllabi), and exam

schedules. Instructional activities that allow and develop the skills of discovery and

experimentation are steps in the right direction (Prince and Felder, 2007), especially when the

answers or strategies for discovering them are not “givens.” In this regard, work being done in

education and professional development on ambiguity, tension, paradox, and contradiction seems

fruitful (Axley and McMahon, 2006; Lewis and Dehler, 2000; Hays, 2008b). Dey and Steyaert’s

(2007) insightful paper on the failings and promise of management education is particularly

germane to Teaching as Being. They note that the wisdom of teaching (and learning) involves

downplaying competence and expertise in favour of ideas, invention, and imagination. In

particular, the authors suggest that wisdom is “holding back,” not subscribing to one right

answer, but allowing for “whatever might come up” (p. 455).

Epistemology relates to Teaching as Being indirectly. Epistemology is of more obvious concern

to conventional teaching and learning where it plays two main roles. The first is the “knowledge”

that is the content to be taught by teachers and mastered by students. The second is the

knowledge and practical “know how” of instruction: how to bring the designated content across

best to learners. This includes understanding of instructional method and learning theory. This

second knowledge type is the purview of pedagogy, and is discussed more thoroughly in the next

section. For our purposes, here, the epistemology domain considers both of these forms of

knowledge as discrete knowledge bits, separate from and outside the teacher and student; or, at

best, something they might possess or be able to do.28

In the Teacher as Being, these two forms of knowledge are fundamental parts of being, fully

integrated, internalised; part and parcel of who the teacher is. Thus, it is not what she knows, but

who she is that is of concern. None of this is to suggest that epistemology is unimportant; but,

rather, to highlight that teaching does not necessarily have to be about something “out there,”

distant and abstract. It can be something “in here”: something in and of our core being as

individual teachers, and something in, of, and amongst teachers and students in the classroom.

Epistemology has much to say about what is taught, when, and how. It has much less to offer on

28 Grayson (2004) presents a critique of conventional teaching that treats knowledge and, thus, students, as separate,

leading to, amongst other things, one-way transmission, perpetuation of unproductive classroom dynamics,

relationships, and expectations, and an insidious, if unintended, undermining of higher-order educational objectives.

She distinguishes such traditional “monologic” schooling with “dialogic education,” and presents compelling

evidence that dialogic classrooms produce students who are more engaged, collaborative, discerning, and

exploratory.

ontological and existential concerns of or the human condition in the classroom. The palpable

connection at the level of being amongst those present in the Teaching as Being classroom, for

example, is a quality that epistemology cannot deal with. This rapport can neither be packaged

nor purveyed. Yet, it is undeniable.

Pedagogy. Pedagogy is the science of education, and may be thought of as the art and practice of

teaching. Pedagogy includes and often refers to educational theory, teaching strategies and

approach, and instructional methodologies. As education is concerned with learning, pedagogy

also covers learning theory and aspects of the learner, such as learning styles and developmental

stages. It was once in vogue to distinguish pedagogy from androgogy, a concept popularised by

to Malcolm Knowles in the 1960s.29 Though less seems to be made of it these days, the

distinction was thought important because of differences in the way children and adults learn,

and, thus, how they should be best taught. Many were quick to jump onto the andragogical, or

adult learning, bandwagon, and its emphasis figured prominently in the author’s own education,

doctoral studies in Human Resource Education in the late-1980s and early-1990s. Exposure to

adult learning theory and, more importantly, to professors demonstrating if not embodying

andragogy in practice, undoubtedly influenced the author’s own approach to teaching.

Pedagogy applies widely to Teaching as Being, with the andragogical approach being most

applicable because it is student centred, empowering, and treats students as adults. Andragogical

teachers allow students much latitude in defining what and how they will learn, serving as

facilitators and resource persons. They appreciate that learning is a life-long endeavour, and

work to enhance learners’ capacity to continue learning. They want students to become fulfilled

through learning, instead of wanting to fulfil curriculum requirements. That said, there is

nothing, per se, about pedagogy or andragogy that is or leads to Teaching as Being. Teachers and

students may or may not achieve flow, but it is not the educational approach that makes it

happen. In fact, flow states and the richness of experience and efficacy they permit are generated

outside or beyond instructional method. They cannot be explained by or achieved directly

through adherence to technique. Rather, they are facilitated by “letting go” and allowing. They

are attained through being—a state the awareness of which can be developed and the pathways

learned over time, but not so much taught as a pedagogical content or process.

One reason teachers and administrators work so hard to define curricula and manage instructional

content and method is to reduce risk. There are all types of risks, from losing control to losing

face. No one wants to be seen as failing to meet performance expectations, however they might

be defined. Of course, a second reason is best intentions. Surely everyone involved wants

students to learn as much as possible. It is in everyone’s best interests for in higher education

programs to succeed. But despite all the controls and best efforts to deliver higher education that

matters, criticisms and calls for reform continue (Emiliani, 2004; Waltermaurer and Obach,

2007). According to the critics, higher education tends to be fractured, superficial, and irrelevant.

This is especially true for management education and the MBA30 where practical relevance is

particularly important and visible. Criticisms and calls for reform aside, higher education has

come a long way, and there exist rich programs and laudatory teachers invoking experiential,

29 Note that androgogy (as spelled by Knowles, himself) is more frequently spelled “andragogy” and, hence, from

this point, will be spelled with an “a”. Sources on andragogy / adult education include Brookfield (1986), Knowles

(1990), and Merriam and Caffarella (1991); and more recently Kessels and Poell (2004) and Notten (2002). 30 Dozens of scholarly works reviewed as potential sources for Teaching as Being are grounded with claims of the

inadequacy of management education. Some of the more convincing and that generally support the ideas put

forward here include: Andersen and Rask (2008); Axley and McMahon (2006); Gold and Holman (2001); and

Marsick (1998).

holistic, and transformational models (Grauerholz, 2001; Hays, 2008b; Hutchison and Bosacki,

2000; Marsick, 1998; Torosyan, 2001).

In general, the management classroom that overcomes many of the criticisms and equips students

with relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes:

Is, first and foremost, active. Students get involved and engaged, physically, mentally, and

emotionally. In a three-hour seminar, for example, students may work in two or three different

groups on various activities related to the theme for the day. Artfully crafted, a teacher need not

lecture at all, but students discover what they need to know through a role-plays, debates,

competitions, and the like.

Treats students as the adults they are, showing due concern, respect, empathy, and trust.

Appreciates and uses their experience, accommodates and negotiates their objectives, needs, and

expectations.

Attempts to expose learners to real-world problems and apply proven and accessible problem-

solving and decision-making techniques; the best problems are those students bring to class from

their own life and work.

Creates (or allows) conditions in the classroom that are real and that represent what learners

are experiencing or may experience outside of the classroom; here students can practice

behaviours and develop skills that will make them more effective inside and outside of the

classroom.

Promotes self-awareness and understanding of others through dialogue and individual and

shared reflection. Gets students to think more deeply about their own learning and behaviour.

Encourages students to experiment, invent, and create rather than merely repeat or replicate;

students are encouraged to be bold and different; thus guidelines are minimal.

Develops collaborative skills and engages students in team projects and group activities;

evaluates students collectively, as opposed to individually. Projects are real and meaningful,

neither contrived nor scripted.

Places a high level of responsibility on students for significant portions of their learning,

including involvement in planning and/or evaluating course. Students may design and conduct

their own learning activities, teaching and learning from one another.

Fosters independence, autonomy, initiative, and self-direction. Teacher relinquishes

appreciable amounts of control, allowing students to take more risks and assume more

responsibility.

Develops awareness and appreciation of complexity and systems; dispels myths and

expectations of simplicity, predictability, and control. May incorporate and integrate widely

diverse theories, approaches, media, and activities to foster a sense of connection and relatedness.

Accepts and works with the gamut of students’ lives: material and experiences in the

classroom; personal life, social spheres, and extracurricular activities; work and professional

domains; public issues—brings it all into the classroom as the “stuff” of exploration and

discovery.

Uses holistic approaches and exercises students’ range of learning modalities and preferences.

While not exhaustive, the preceding list of attributes conveys what the modern management

classroom might be like. It need not have all to be progressive and, indeed, readers may disagree

with some of the points or have others they feel are more relevant. But many would agree that

the “teaching tips” are generally useful and feasible at least in part and where used judiciously.

These characteristics are not precise or prescriptive. They don’t say when to do what, or how.

They are general guidelines, aspirations. They are not about skill, particularly, or technique.

They are less about knowing and doing, and more about being: How are teachers and students?

How are they relating to one another? What is the progressive classroom? While not “there,”

yet, this is where pedagogy is headed. The management classroom of the future is alive, vibrant;

not just well-meaning, but rich in meaning.

Eastern Philosophy and Wisdom. The author has been studying and attempting to apply Eastern

philosophies and practices for twenty-five years. What began in youth as martial arts training

(initially Hapkido) has become a life-long quest for deepening understanding and appreciation of

“the way,” as understood in Taoism and “the middle way” in Buddhism. This quest includes

studies in several martial arts, as well as Tai Chi and Qigong; a stay in Tibet with visits to

Buddhist monasteries; the reading of several dozen books on Eastern philosophies and religions,

and a gradual incorporation of their theory and practice in everyday life, scholarly activities of

teaching and writing, and management consulting. With about two thousand five hundred years

of history and development, this short section cannot do justice to the ancient and important

wisdom of the set of Eastern philosophies and religions that include Buddhism, Taoism,

Confucianism, and others. Rather than an awkward attempt to identify and elaborate on core

features of Eastern philosophy, and in keeping with their teachings and those of the existentialists

and phenomenologists, the author will provide a personal, experienced-based interpretation.

The main lesson for me has been and continues to be that there is a truth “out there” and in me—

in each of us—that remains for the most part clouded by our own egos and delusions. Access to

truth or reality is possible for each of us, but takes continual practice and discipline (if not great

effort). “Staying the course” of this practice is what is meant by “the way,” which is attention to

compassion, moderation, and humility. Egocentric and ambitious, the pursuit of each of these

three elements has been a life-long challenge to me. Keeping in mind the middle way—a path

between extremes—serves as a constant reminder to indulge myself neither in self-criticism nor

self-aggrandisement, both which interfere with “seeing things as they are,” including myself.

One area where I’ve made some progress is in my façade, what might be called “impression

management.” I have gradually peeled away layers of identity—the person I want others to see

me as… the protective masks… the things I do, say, or believe that are fabrications—trying to get

to the real me, the essence of who I am. While not there, yet, I have found this process liberating.

I am liking myself more, but in a less egotistical way.

The idea of Nirvana has always appealed to me. Nirvana (unlike Heaven) can be experienced

while still on and of this Earth. Nirvana, which basically means enlightenment or liberation, is

the state of being that we can attain when we have detached ourselves completely from ego,

defences, wanting, and identity. I may never be able to let go entirely, but I value that I am a

work in progress; I am becoming. As a part of becoming, or gradual improvement and progress

along “the way,” reflection has become a central facet of my life. Reflection helps me remain

conscious of what I am and am not doing, to know how well I am keeping to “the way” and

when, why, and how I lose my bearing. My training and studies have all emphasised the

importance of awareness or mindfulness.31 I am much more aware these days of others, my

surroundings, and myself as I encounter and engage the world. Reflection contributes to

mindfulness, and mindfulness provides substance on which to reflect. Liu (2003) goes a step

further, asserting that: “Through reflection on our actions in the world we gain insight into our

core being” (p. 23), a message targeting the heart of Teaching as Being.

Much of my martial arts training and many of the teachings I have heard and read concern force

(as in life force) or energy (Chi or Qi). Whether you believe in God or take a less spiritual view

of cosmology, there is “a flow of the universe” and a force behind the natural order. Human

beings are at their best (most natural) when aligned with the flow and character of nature. You

see this is as the notions of “softness” and yielding in martial arts. The Chinese speak of “wu

wei,” or effortless action, and “pu,” or simplicity and receptiveness. Mastery is not simply or

exclusively a matter of single-mindedness or effort: when you have exhausted yourself trying

hard, you might find that other doors open themselves to you. Or, when you relinquish fixation

on a particular objective or strategy, more important ends may become apparent or more effective

ways of attaining it (them) may reveal themselves. Either your objective or the path you take, or

both, may need changing. For me, and for Teaching as Being, it’s a matter of finding and going

with the flow.

The Complementary Readings section includes a range of texts that address various aspects of

Eastern teachings. Drawn from a growing body of literature that incorporates and applies Eastern

philosophy in Western contexts, the following references are illustrative, interesting, and

relevant: complexity and social systems (Jones and Culliney, 1998); counselling /group process

(Forester-Miller and Gressard, 2004); education (Brady, 2008); leadership (Hinterhuber, 1996;

Korac-Kakabadse, et al, 2002); management development (Shefy and Sadler-Smith, 2006) and

management education (Clawson and Doner, 1996); management theory and practice (Saha,

1992; Weymes, 2004); organisational behaviour (Durlabhji, 2004); organisational wisdom (Hays,

2007); strategic management and ba (Nonaka and Toyama (2007); and virtual team leadership

(Davis, 2004).

Self-Perpetuating Nature of Classroom Dynamics

Being There is neither easy nor automatic. The system as we know it works against Teaching As

Being. Familiar factors, some external and some internal, drive a teacher to demonstrate content

expertise and efficient and economical classroom management and instructional delivery and to

be perceived as being effective and in control. Some of these include rewards for non-teaching

pursuits (research / publication), large class sizes, student expectations and demands, and features

of the learning environment, often perceived as “givens” or limitations. On top of some of the

external and more-concrete factors, the teacher’s own ego plays an influential role in Being

There. The greater the need to be perceived as expert and effective, for instance, the less likely

the teacher can just “be” in the classroom, reducing opportunities for spontaneity, capitalising on

emergent topics and energies, and generally “going with the flow.”

Classrooms and other learning situations have their own moderating influences: they strive to

correct and bring back to baseline aberration. In other words, (if unchecked) they self-perpetuate

the status quo. If, for example, a teacher interested in but inexperienced at and perhaps lacking

confidence in using ideas such as “going with the flow” tentatively attempts unstructured,

31 As an example of the incorporation of meaning and mindfulness in martial arts, Liu (2003) writes that “meaning

requires intentional personal action” and that mindfulness practice or “being intentional in what we do on a moment-

by-moment basis… requires that we be aware of the choices we make—and of the circumstances surrounding these

choices” (pp. 22 – 23).

unscripted lessons or activities, any early indication of failure may cause the teacher to revert to

more familiar and comfortable territory. Students might, for example, complain or choose not

engage. Less directly, feedback after class (first- or second-hand through other students,

colleagues, or even department head) may lead the teacher to discontinue experimentation and

rely on more conventional and acceptable methods.

Both students and teachers contribute to the self-perpetuating dynamics of classrooms.

Overcoming them may require commitment and persistence on the part of the teacher, and

adopting a more open mindset on the part of students. How students may become more open is,

itself, a process of becoming, not unlike the challenges faced by teachers for whom Teaching as

Being is a worthwhile but new endeavour.

Caveats and Considerations

Despite the foregoing, it is not the intent, here, to dismiss or trivialise teaching skill and

technique, instructional methodology or technology, or content expertise. These are all important

and useful components of teaching and learning. They may even be necessary, and at high levels

of proficiency they are most likely sufficient in bringing essential content across to students and

assisting the learning process. Skill and method can be at least efficient and repeatable. As such,

they provide adequate foundation and structure for learning. In many cases, they permit the

content and tools developed by one person to be delivered and used by another. They may be

“taken as givens” or seen as prerequisites to the teaching and learning environment. We might

ask, however, what we potentially forgo in service of economy and simplicity. Even pedagogical

best practice does not provide or reveal the aesthetic beauty of teaching and learning. Models of

efficiency and economy in classroom management and instruction do not foster spirit or

spontaneity, and may even impede flexibility and creativity. It is the teacher’s unique way of

being32 in the classroom and using material and method that gives learning life—that creates

meaningful experience for herself and her students. The “self” that teachers bring to the

classroom is what gives content wings and technology the human touch.

Views of Teaching As Being

The Vignettes. This section presents four vignettes that illustrate alternate and multiple facets of

Teaching As Being, as portrayed in this paper. While any given scenario has many angles, at

least as many as the actors in the story and those observing, four views are presented here of the

same situation, reflecting how “going with the flow” teaching is perceived and experienced by

two sets of participants and / or observers. The first set comprises two teachers, one practicing,

or embodying, Teaching As Being in the classroom (the self), and one (the observer), more

conventional, but known as an exceptional teacher, who has “experienced” the former teaching or

working with students on a number of discrete, if brief, occasions, and who has conversed with

the former, seen his work, and heard from numerous students who have had both instructors as

course convenors and primary lecturers.

The second set consists of two students enrolled in the same course who have very different

“takes” on the teacher and his course. Narratives are a synthesis of remarks from student

reflective learning journals, course evaluations, e-mail correspondence, and discussion inside and

outside of class. van den Berg (2002) effectively used a similar device in his exposition on

32 Dall’Alba (2005) speaks on “transforming and enhancing ways of being university teachers, through integrating

knowing, acting and being” (p.361; emphasis added) and ibid: “…epistemology is not seen as an end in itself, but

rather it is in the service of ontology.” Her notions of knowing and acting (epistemology) and being university

teachers (ontology) are congruent with Teaching as Being.

meaning, juxtaposing two teachers’ views on a teaching and learning innovation to show how

differently the same situation can be interpreted and experienced.

The Context—Course and Scenario. The scenario covers the bulk of one class in a post-

graduate Management and Organisation course. Class sessions run three hours, and typically

have between 15 and 40 students. (An undergraduate version of the course wherein similar

activities are conducted may have up to 100 students.) The author debated whether to showcase

one class and how it was experienced or describe an entire semester. To provide a useful level of

detail and enable practical application of the material, the single class segment was chosen.

Detailing the semester is beyond the scope of this paper and summarising it would be too general

to be of practical utility.

While a segment with “stand alone” features was chosen to illustrate Teaching As Being, it must

be understood that this segment occurs within the larger course. Some contextualisation would

have occurred before this segment: students would have been introduced to the instructor’s

classroom management and general teaching style, as well as to unconventional treatments of

material. There would also be follow-on activities that refer back to this showcased segment or

depend on students having “experienced” the material. There is an implicit expectation that

students will adopt, adapt, and incorporate elements of this type of “lesson,” demonstration of

which is evidenced (as one example) in the class sessions they, themselves, run. All students, in

groups of three to five, are responsible for teaching a chapter or major section of a chapter from

the course text. Groups perform extraordinarily well on this task, with lessons rivalling and

surpassing the instructor’s own in terms of creativity, relevance, variety, novelty, interactivity,

and engagement.

This “lesson” is from the early part of the semester, so students know less what to expect and

react more intensely to the “not knowingness” of the class. As a reminder, the thrust of such

activities is to move students forward carefully and prepare them for even more sophisticated

activities, for which they will be increasingly responsible and that will call upon greater

confidence, skill, and positive and open attitudes, exercising physical, intellectual, and affective

modalities, that is, doing, thinking, and feeling. Laying the foundation and building instruction in

this way is nothing new. What is, perhaps, different is that what is being taught (instructional

objectives) here is not [easily or necessarily] codified and explicit. It does not appear as bullets

on a PowerPoint slide; it is not spelled-out in the text. It cannot be learnt by memorisation, and

does not lend itself to exam. It is, instead, role-modelled by the teacher (and, increasingly, by

students themselves), and experienced, interpreted, and judged by them. They will know they’ve

learnt (or, better, integrated) the material when they, themselves, have designed and delivered

their own “experience,” such as that enabled by the requirement that they teach a class segment

or when they get the chance to run an activity in another course, university or community

function, or at work.

The class is on communications and interpersonal relations (Chapter 17 in the text, one of the last

chapters, but moved to the beginning of the semester because everything the students will be

doing in the course hinges on their communication effectiveness). Communication here is not

about theory or models. Many students actually come with a good theoretical understanding of

communications, having had various courses or parts of courses devoted to the theme; but they

are generally woefully prepared to communicate publicly and are often inept or unable to assert

themselves even in small groups. At the same time there are those who naturally (or culturally)

are more assertive and, thus, come to dominate both large- and small-group discussions, whether

or not they have more to offer. So, Management and Organisations—amongst a host of other

crucial, competing topics—is concerned with communication and its practical applications,

development of communication skills and heightened awareness about communication. The

course is, then, not about communications in the abstract, it is communications. It does not

intellectualise communication; it embodies communication and makes communicators. One of

the practical applications of communication in the course is stakeholder engagement, as students

must determine, design, and implement a community project. They apply what they learn in the

classroom setting in their community project work (and elsewhere), the results of which, then,

become material for further learning and improvement.

Learning objectives for the “communication day” include:

Heighten awareness of habits that impede and promote effective communication.

Develop of a set of communication norms that participants commit to practicing in the course and the conduct of the community project.

Provide opportunity for students to practice communicating and develop their communication skills, particularly listening appreciatively and allowing and encouraging others to speak.

Accustom participants to interactivity and engagement, and help them to become comfortable being a part of the learning process (as opposed to having it done to them as if passive recipients).

Introduce (or further explore) the use of metaphor for learning.

Reveal that many answers exist within a group already (they don’t need to be told).

Have fun; and do things differently. Give students license to be themselves.

Set the stage for development of the community project communication plan.

These objectives may be very much like those readers would set, or quite unlike them. While

providing direction and focus for the lesson, they also permit room to move. They are more on

the order of principles or even values that guide action, rather than specifying it. Objectives may

or may not be given to students, before or after the session, depending on the fundamental

messages (or learnings) the instructor seeks. Many younger or less worldly students feel more

comfortable with something tangible, such as a list of objectives, an outline of the process

employed, or a subsequent summary of the lessons learnt, as if they need “proof” that they have

learned. In addition to any immediate comfort or other benefit, such items can contribute to a

portfolio for students’ future reference.

The Agenda. An overview of “communications day” is shown here.

AGENDA

Warm-Up ~15 mins.

The Traffic Metaphor ~45 mins.

Community project communication planning, and writing of the plan ~100 mins., w/ break

Reflective “Check-In” ~15 mins.

Times are always announced as approximations, stressing that each segment takes as long as it

takes and reassuring students not to worry if times “slip.” Some inevitably do (that is, times slip

and students stress). Almost every class begins with an informal conversation about something

related to the topic of the day or where students are in the project. Sometimes the instructor

shares a reading or a passage from his course reflective journal. Most classes conclude with a

reflection on or critique of the day. This is used to consolidate learning and to position the

following class session. Warm-Ups and Check-Ins during and at the end of class are used to

engage students on a more intimate level and to connect teacher and students. This course, in

particular, is about building community and community is built through personal relationships.

The Traffic Metaphor. The central activity for the communications class is an exercise called

The Traffic Metaphor. The exercise has several steps, all interactive. After a brief stage-setting

introduction, the facilitator calls for “driving behaviours” participants have witnessed or

perpetrated themselves. While no one ever suggests that the driving behaviours identified

(brainstormed) need be bad, illegal, dangerous, or stupid, many of the items people come up with

fall into those categories, making for a lot of fun and laughter. When momentum begins to

dwindle, participants are asked to find analogies from communication episodes (meetings,

encounters, interactions) to the driving behaviours listed (“leadfoot,” changing lanes without

indicating, tailgater, and so on). Many hilarious analogous will be made. The next step is to

develop a “rules of the road” set of norms for communicating. This may be accompanied by a set

of punishments for infractions (like pay the fine bucket, funds to be used for …) and / or rewards

for driving excellence, like the Driving Ace award one team developed to reward exemplars.

Here ends The Traffic metaphor as a lesson, but it can be “debriefed” and elements can be taken

forward into subsequent activities.

Making it Real. Since every class in some way links to the community project, a practical and

real application during communications day involves the students beginning to develop their

project communication and engagement plan, the draft of which must be presented the following

week. With the foregoing context-setting, the following perspectives reveal just how differently

the same situation can be experienced and valued.

The Self Perspective

I feel really good about class today. Time flew for me. Sometimes we start out a bit slow as we

feel our way into day, and let topics and energies reveal themselves. This is a fairly reliable

process as much of what students are experiencing in class or in the community project can be

related to the theme for the day. I knew, for example, that students would connect their

experiences interviewing students and faculty with the lessons of The Traffic Metaphor. There’re

always ways to reinforce and illustrate relevant points arising in dialogue. It helps to know

beforehand what the important points are—they come out. But you don’t have to be particularly

pedantic or meticulous about the points or how they’ll be made. They’re more natural when they

just flow out of activities and conversations.

I had a tentative agenda drawn up for the day, beginning with the typical opening check-in.

The “check-ins” almost always are worthwhile. They provide a transition “space” for both me

and the students, a “settling in” period. But, sometimes, the mood is sedate and contemplative,

and if we don’t then do something very interactive and exciting there is a risk that the whole

session will be lower in energy—this feels unproductive and the sessions drag. But that wasn’t

the case today. I skipped the check-in and launched right into The Traffic Metaphor. As usual,

students loved it and, also predictably, it didn’t go exactly like any other time: every group

brings a new experience to the exercise, as well as different “driving behaviours” and new

analogies.

Characteristically, the group struggled… or lost momentum at the juncture where the “rules of

the road” were met. They tried really hard, but it was a challenge to come up with meaningful

norms and ways to reinforce the communication rules of the road. Someone’s idea to send

people to “drivers education” classes was inspired, as was the brief discussion of on what the

classes might consist. We didn’t get to the point of clear and enforceable norms this time, a

problem I’ve had before. I might follow up with a short handout presenting some guidelines. It

was clear, however, that students took much of the exercise “on board,” as they employed

effective communication principles throughout the remainder of the class, including coaching one

another to let someone else speak, encouraging the more reticent to speak up, and attempting to

actively listen. This is a great outcome: it shows that students can quickly and painlessly take

more responsibility for managing process, relieving me of the pressure to do so and

demonstrating to themselves that they can (and sometimes must) take care of things themselves.

The following session achieved what was intended. Students had a clear outline of a stakeholder

communication and engagement plan and organised themselves into work groups to develop

discrete sections of the plan. While few of the class members had much project experience and

no one had training or experience in organisational communications or public relations, as a

group they were able to generate the main purposes and structure for a communications plan.

Having written or overseen the development of such plans myself helped, as I was able to steer

them toward discovering a useful format. Identifying sections needed on project vision and

purpose for the communications plan was practically automatic, with us spending the first two

weeks discussing ideal communities and what was worth pursuing. The work that we did

preparing for the interviews and then discussing the results heightened students’ awareness of

stakeholders and the importance of stakeholder analysis in crafting a communications plan. The

time I gave them to work on the draft in class allowed them to get started. We’ll see next week

when it is time to present the draft whether or not, and to what degree, they will have been able to

work together outside of class to progress the plan to a point where it is, in fact, presentable.

The Faculty Observer

In many ways I admire and respect Kate. She’s genuine—the real deal. One of the reasons I

brought her on staff was her values—the things she cares about. She had listed them at the top of

her CV. I had never seen this before. When we met, those value came out in everything she said

and did. The values and philosophy that underpinned her work as a management consultant were

exactly the things we were looking for in our professors. I don’t remember them verbatim, but

they had to do with service, putting others first, empowerment, and democracy. To this day, she

treats students as her equal: intelligent, adult, worthy of trust and respect, self-directing. She’s

eccentric—you know, kind of quirky—and doesn’t seem to care too much what people think.

But, along with being different, she is creative and committed. She is always trying something

new and is quick to come up with teaching tools and techniques. She developed a whole class

segment for me on leadership styles in one day, involving role-modelling and debate. The

students loved it.

I had the pleasure of observing The Traffic Metaphor once. It’s amazing how a simple exercise

like that can enliven a classroom, converting students from passive, quiet, and possibly

disengaged to active and spirited participants. (I’ve seen some of the same students in other

classes. You wouldn’t know they are the same people!) Anyway, in doing The Traffic

Metaphor, they were learning communication theory and developing their skills without them

really knowing it. More surprisingly, they were teaching themselves. Kate does a lot of these

things. My concern is that students don’t really know what they are learning or how, and while

they might be having fun they might not appreciate the learning. They could also unfairly hold

other professors to the same standard. Not many of us are willing or able to do what Kate does.

Kate is pretty convincing, though. Her enthusiasm and arguments are compelling. I even

experimented with some of her approach. The big ask for me [challenge or stretch] was to use

reflective learning journals in my classes, two different ways in two separate courses. While I see

them of use, potentially, especially in graduate courses, they are really not for me. A lot of what

seems to work for Kate doesn’t work for me or the other faculty members. In all honesty, it’s just

too much work. Plus, I’m not really comfortable with the lack of structure. I believe students

need and want to know precisely what is expected, how they’ll be assessed. Many of them are

young and inexperienced. They look to us to be the experts and to guide and direct them. Given

free rein, a lot of students are just lost or take advantage of you. We are preparing them to be the

managers and leaders of tomorrow. We need to show them how to manage, efficiently and

effectively.

Kate has gotten herself into trouble a couple of times. Her casualness leaves her open to threat.

Students could always argue that she is inconsistent or unfair. More than one faculty member has

raised an eyebrow when she leaves the classroom unattended. Marking (grading) is always an

issue. I’m not even sure it’s fair or reasonable to assess students as a group, or to base large

percentages of the course mark on subjective assessment like journals, or to let them evaluate

themselves. I remember Kate once presenting at a special faculty seminar on teaching. Instead

of just telling us what she does, she tried to run it like she runs her classes, that is, kind of organic

and informal, depending on audience participation and letting the main points emerge. It didn’t

work at all. Not only was it embarrassing and awkward for us all, Kate must have been

devastated, if only because she failed to convince and inform anyone that such approaches work

and how. If anything, this brought home the point that conventional approaches are safer and

more effective.

Despite setbacks, Kate doesn’t seem impressed by or even capable of just covering the subject.

It’s always something bigger. Revising her course to The Community Project is an example of

this. She quite possibly expects too much of her students… and maybe herself. In all fairness to

Kate, she loves her students and gives them a lot. There seems to develop some kind of bond

between her and her students. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but it is remarkable.

The Student As Being View

I took Kate’s course because some of my friends had it in previous semesters, and recommended

it to me. I could barely picture in my own mind what they meant when describing Improv Day

and some of the other things they did in class. I hope we get to do the exercise where groups pick

and draw plants and animals and things and have to compare them to organisations. I was a bit

sceptical when my one friends told me how a company is like a crocodile, and how another group

captivated the class with their comparison of an organisation and a butterfly.

It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I can tell that the course is everything they said it was and

more. Kate is unique. She’s the only professor I ever heard say “I love you” to the class. I think

she means it. It is clear she loves teaching and the subject matter. I never really saw a professor

get excited about management topics. Her eyes sparkle! She runs around the lecture theatre like

a game show host making us excited by the force of her will and enthusiasm. I think we are

starting to love her, too. Nobody misses class. No one want to miss the next twist in this

unfolding drama.

Even though I had heard much about Kate and the community project [the course], I have to say

that I was shocked by the first class. Kate was—as everyone said she would be—passionate,

driven, and sometimes a bit “preachy.” She was also a bit “all over the place.” We had an

agenda, but did lots of stuff that didn’t seem relevant to the agenda and the objectives for the

session she referred to a couple of times. We had way too much to do in the three hours we had.

Amazingly, though, we never stopped, never took a break, did most of what we set out to do (and

more), and the three hours flew by like an instant. The class was stunned at the end, realising that

the time was up. No one slept. No one yawned, once! No other three-hour lecture is like this.

Oh, before I forget, in welcoming us at the beginning of class, Kate thanked us for taking the

course. It seemed she was grateful for our choice and being there. I found that interesting.

The second lecture was awesome. The Traffic Metaphor was crazy. It started out like a typical

interactive exercise, but soon people were shouting and there were roars of laughter. Everyone

had an idea [driving behaviours] and most people had really interesting communication examples

[analogies]. Being a psych major, I personally have had several courses on communication

theory, so some of the material was not new to me, but I can assure you that I will never forget

The Traffic Metaphor. I’ll never just think of driving and traffic anymore, without also thinking

about communications; and I’ll never fail to see driving at work and other situations. How many

times have I seen “the guy who’d rather be fishing,” or “the girl who changes lanes without

indicating”?

Kate has this way of making us feel the lesson. She wants us to experience the material. I’m

starting to understand what she means when she says you don’t really know anything just because

you’ve heard it or read it. “You gotta feel it!, she stresses. I even clench my fists emphatically

like she does, when I say this. It’s another thing entirely to do it, to feel what it’s like to succeed

or to struggle. She gets inside our heads… no, inside our very being making us feel things. I find

myself using some of her expressions, now: joy, anxiety, excitement, thrill, anguish…. Those

are the feelings of learning. They’re not always good feelings, but they are powerful. My friends

have no idea what I mean when I repeat Kate’s slogan: “Management and Organisation is a

course in life.” Or the other one: “let’s try it on for size.” What we’re learning can’t be taught

from a book. What we’re learning we can use forever.

The Student as Victim Stance

I can’t believe I took this course. What a mistake! I should have dropped the course and taken

something else after the first class. Kate means well, but she is impossible as a teacher: she’s

disorganised and impractical. I think she’s pretty smart, but she can’t teach. We didn’t have

anything so far that looks like a lecture. Since she doesn’t use slides or teaching notes it’s hard to

know what we are supposed to learn. She doesn’t go through cases or articles, and barely refers

to stuff in the text. She expects us to be prepared for class, but then doesn’t go through the

material with us. Why bother? She talks a lot, but I’m not sure what she’s saying.

Class is a waste of time, although I have to admit that time passes quickly. Kate seems to think

that university education is about talking. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the word

“dialogue.” Frankly, I’m over it. All we do is talk. Sometimes in large group, and often in

break-out activities, which are just chances for students to talk amongst themselves and criticise

and make jokes about Kate and the class brownnosers. Some students pretend to be really

interested, asking questions about stuff they already know and speaking up in class just to be

heard. It’s always the same few. How pathetic! Just like the know-it-alls and brownnosers at

work.

Kate also thinks that university education is about “students teaching themselves.” How

ridiculous! Why would we pay good money to come to class supposedly taught by experts in

their field just to hear from other students? She thinks that students can organise themselves and

that “valuable learning will emerge.” Even if we wanted to, we don’t know what to organise for

or what we’re supposed to do. It’s the blind leading the blind. The teacher is supposed to tell us

what to learn and how to learn it. Just like the few good team leaders at work who tell people

what they are supposed to know and do. The rest [other employees]—like most of us in this

class—are lost, confused, and frustrated; and getting angrier by the minute. I came here to learn

management theory. I haven’t learned one theory from Kate, yet. All I get is opinions and

answers that waffle around, and because everybody gets to put the two cents in we hear more

irrelevant personal opinions from other students in the class.

The Traffic Metaphor exercise we did is a case in point. Okay, it was kind of fun and different

than other management courses, but what’s the point? It was basically an hour spent playing a

game. If what we were supposed to get was communication theory or practical management

application, we could have gotten more from reading [the chapter in the text on communication]

or a good academic paper. Who cares if you can identify people at work as “leadfoots” or

“hornblasters”? I don’t waste time “driving aimlessly.” I go everywhere for a purpose, take the

shortest route, and don’t stop for any reason. Kate doesn’t care where we go; we wander from

place to place, never sure where we’re going, how long we’re going to be there, or what to do

when we get there. I’m learning how to manage from this course by learning what not to do.

Analysis and Discussion

At surface, the four vignettes above present starkly contrasting views of Kate, Kate’s course,

Management and Organisation, and The Traffic Metaphor. At a general level, we can easily

conclude that there are both strengths and weaknesses—or potential risks or threats—to Kate’s

approach. One of those areas of weakness is that there is a subtlety to Kate’s teaching belied by

her larger-than-life presence. The real content, (principles, concepts, theoretical frameworks and

foundations) is often embedded, intertwined, and hidden in activities she facilitates, discussions

she leads, and in her very approach or being. She attempts to embody (role-model) what she

understands and believes about management, leadership, and learning. She trusts that the

important points will emerge organically and that learners will attend to and grasp them as they

reveal themselves. This has elements of naivety, on the down side, and of optimism, hope, trust,

and faith on the other.33 The risk in Kate’s approach is that people may not “get it.” The very

valuable, albeit quiet, lessons may be lost on any but those most ready to learn. (When the

student is ready the teacher will appear.) Students are not groomed for people like Kate and are

unprepared for the lessons she offers; and thus may be shocked and dismayed, as we see above,

subtly from Kate’s colleague and resoundingly from the student as victim.

The four vignettes, or narratives, are surprisingly rich in what they have to say about Kate (being)

and her course. They are especially interesting when read “between the lines,” as contradictions,

inherent tensions, and unconscious assumptions and beliefs reveal themselves, and even denied

learning becomes evident. The following analysis is split into two parts. The first section

addresses being and experience, while the second part concerns performance and learning more

directly and specifically. Each of the four views, The Self Perspective, The Faculty Observer,

The Student As Being View, and The Student as Victim Stance, are separately distilled and

interpreted for both of the two sections.

Being and Experience

Self. Kate, represented by the self perspective, uses a lot of feeling and being words to express

herself and describe her teaching. She feels good about class, or it feels unproductive. They feel

their way. Students experience class, and every group brings new experience to the exercise.

She also speaks of mood: “sedate and contemplative,” not words often ascribed to management

33 Relevant sources on positive psychology include: Boyatsis and McKee (2005), who identify three key positive

mental elements as mindfulness, hope, and compassion; Luthans (2002), who identified three positive psychological

capacities as confidence, hope, and resilience; and Luthans and Youssef (2007) who explored five psychological

resource capacities, efficacy, hope, optimism, resiliency, and psychological capital. In their 2004 article, Luthans,

Luthans, and Luthans (2004) conceived of psychological capital as comprising confidence, hope, optimism, and

resilience. Moreover, and building on Seligman, the authors note that people absorbed in flow states are building

psychological capital for the future. Such psychological capital deriving from fit [or union] between individual and

job and the flow state it enables, they assert, is ‘“who you are’ rather than what or who you know” (p. 46)

classrooms. And, similarly, uses the term “energy” and describes class as seeking “excitement.”

The significance and implications of this are unclear, except for two obvious points. First, Kate

may find it easier to relate to people who also are possessed of such an orientation or preference

for their ways of perceiving the world and acting upon it. Neither Kate’s faculty colleague nor

the student as victim are such types, though her colleague is more forgiving and perhaps even

somewhat envious. Second, and possibly more importantly, Kate’s expressions of self and class

are decidedly ontological and consistent. She appears to be genuine and authentic, being a

teacher, not just teaching.

Observer. Kate’s colleague refers to her as “the real deal.” She notes that Kate embodies or

manifests her values and philosophy: they “came out in everything she said and did.” To

reinforce this view, and having identified certain of Kate’s values (service, putting others first,

empowerment, democracy), Kate’s colleague adds that “To this day, she treats students as her

equal: intelligent, adult, worthy of trust and respect, self-directing.” Even in her description of

Kate’s faculty teaching seminar fiasco, it is clear that Kate lives her values:

Instead of just telling us what she does, she tried to run it like she runs her classes, that is, kind of

organic and informal, depending on audience participation and letting the main points emerge.

Kate undoubtedly knows the rules, but she tried to do something differently. Whether she taking

a risk to prove a point or just being consistent is hard to tell? Risking failure (or even non-

acceptance by peers) for something in which she obvious believes is characteristic of Kate,

someone who is willing to put others first, to downplay her own authority and expertise.

Student As Being. In the student as being view it is apparent that Kate has connected with at

least one of her students. “The course is everything they said it would be and more,” this student

informs us, adding that “Kate is unique.” Kate is alive and enlivening, according to this student

who seems to share a world view with Kate: Kate gets excited about management, so much so

that “her eyes sparkle” and “she runs around the lecture theatre like a game show host making us

feel excited by the force of her will and enthusiasm.” Kate is passionate, driven, and a bit

‘preachy.’” All these being words: is unique; is alive; is everything promised; is passionate.

This student sees Kate as more than just a teacher: she loves us; “I think we are starting to love

her, too. Nobody misses class. No one wants to miss the next twist in this unfolding drama.”

Interestingly, on the first day of class, Kate thanked them for taking the course. She “was

grateful for our choice and being there.” The connection at the ontological level is most evident

in the last paragraph. The student notes that “Kate has this way of making us feel the lesson. She

wants us to experience the material. “You gotta feel it!” Kate stresses. “She gets inside … our

very being making us feel things.” This students appears to be adopting Kate’s “way of being” or

at least resonating with it. She finds herself “using some of [Kate’s] expressions: joy, anxiety,

excitement, thrill, anguish … the feelings of learning—the experience.

Student as Victim. This connection between teacher and student (recall Kate’s colleague

referring to the development of “some kind of bond between [Kate] and her students”) is

obviously not forming between Kate and the student as victim. While we could dismiss the

student as narrow-minded and negative, the fact is that Kate is likely to encounter such students

frequently, as all teachers would. They may more often keep their thoughts to themselves and,

like the “brownnosers” the student describes “pretend to be really interested” only to protest out

of earshot or submit scathing teaching evaluations from the safe distance of anonymity.

The victim’s diatribe is rife with indications of standards or expectations that Kate cannot meet

(or chooses not to). From the narrative, teachers are supposed to: have proper lectures, using

slides and notes; go through the material; be organised and practical; lecture (as opposed to

facilitate discussion); organise and manage students and the class as a whole; tell students what to

learn and how; be direct and unequivocal; teach theories; and basically get to the point.

We don’t know if this student would be satisfied with a “pedagogically sound” teacher and

format, or whether or not the student would get more out of more conventional lectures. We can

see that the student is not (yet) there for the experience. It is unclear whether or not the student’s

reaction (resistance) to Kate and her methods is due to learning style preference or orientation,

developmental stage, or just learning sophistication and exposure. While as teachers we know

that we can never “reach” all of our students, we also can assume that Kate does not want to

“lose” any student, physically or intellectually. How she elects to deal with students as victims is

not evident from the narratives. From what is said, however, we can be confident that she will

treat the victim as an adult, respectfully, compassionately, and optimistically.

Implications. The problem for Kate (and her students) is that this student’s demands make

management sense and in many ways meet or parallel the standards and theories of pedagogical

best practice. They certainly are in concert with conventional teaching in the management

classroom. Kate’s colleague, for example, seconded many of the student’s points: “My concern

is that students don’t really know what they are learning or how,” her associate observes, and

adds: “I’m not really comfortable with the lack of structure, explaining:

…students need and want to know precisely what is expected, how they’ll be assessed. Many

of them are young and inexperienced. They look to us to be the experts and to guide and direct

them. Given free rein, a lot of students are just lost or take advantage of you. We are preparing

them to be the managers and leaders of tomorrow. We need to show them how to manage,

efficiently and effectively.

“Conventional approaches are safer and more effective,” Kate’s colleague concludes.

The bigger problem for management academics and practitioners is that teaching that meets the

student’s expectations—while easier and more comfortable—fails to prepare the student for the

reality and requirements of the workaday world and the expectations employers, teammates, and

customers have of university graduates; development of the kinds of things Kate is trying to

foster: initiative, autonomy, and self-direction; collaboration and teamwork; open-mindedness,

creativity, and innovativeness; and systemic and holistic thinking.

Performance

Self. The analysis till now has focussed on Kate’s being, that is being a teacher rather than doing

teaching. While both strengths and weakness of Kate’s being have been noted, there seems to be

real value in the teacher as embodiment of that which is to be taught (or learned). Kate practices

what she preaches or “walks the talk,” as those two clichés imply. There is also evidence in the

vignettes regarding Kate’s effectiveness in teaching explicit and defined content, meeting

instructional objectives. The reviews, however, are mixed. In Kate’s opinion, most learning

objectives were met. She acknowledges the students’ achievement (“a great outcome”) in taking

the lessons of The Traffic Metaphor (however explicit or implicit) “on board.” In her view,

students demonstrated important (and implied better) communication skills in the subsequent

activity, topped by even more important learnings regarding what we might call “ownership” or

more self-directed behaviour: students took on “more responsibility for managing process,

relieving me of the pressure to do so and demonstrating to themselves that they can (and

sometimes must) take care of things themselves.”

Kate also believed that the subsequent activity achieved what was intended: students produced a

useful communication plan outline and commitment to progress it during the week. This was

possible, she alludes, because of earlier work that had been done; preparatory work that students

might not automatically see as relating or even necessary, namely (1) the crystallising of vision

and purpose arising from class dialogue on ideal communities and what is worth pursuing; and,

relatedly, (2) the sensitising to stakeholder issues enabled by the interviews and discussion of

interview results. Kate notes that getting through the task successfully was “practically

automatic.” The danger here, of course, is that students might not realise just what they

accomplished or how, not realising the process—or continuity—between classes or segments.

Observer. Kate’s faculty colleague was impressed about the activity (The Traffic Metaphor) or

Kate’s running of it:

It’s amazing how a simple exercise like that can enliven a classroom, converting students from

passive, quiet, and possibly disengaged to active and spirited participants. (I’ve seen some of

the same students in other classes. You wouldn’t know they are the same people!) Anyway, in

doing The Traffic Metaphor, they were learning communication theory and developing their

skills without them really knowing it. More surprisingly, they were teaching themselves.

Kate’s associate, however, doubts that such activities are replicable: “Not many of us are willing

or able to do what Kate does.” And, as discussed above, is concerned that the learnings, however

significant, are lost on students. “[Kate] quite possibly expects too much of her students,” her

colleague concludes.

Student as Being. This pessimistic view is not seen in the student as being vignette. Other than

acknowledging that Kate had planned to do too much in the three-hour class, impressions of the

class are very positive: “

We never stopped, never took an break, did most of what we set out to do (and more), and the

three hours flew by like an instant. The class was stunned at the end, realising that the time was

up. No one slept. No one yawned, once! No other three-hour lecture is like this.

Unfortunately, there is not much to go on in the narrative concerning specific learning outcomes,

but the student does observe that:

I can assure you that I will never forget The Traffic Metaphor. I’ll never just think of driving

and traffic anymore, without also thinking about communications; and I’ll never fail to see

driving at work and other situations.

More globally, the student appears to be internalising or integrating some of the larger lessons of

the course, or Kate’s being; that is, the student is becoming that which is meant to be taught (or

learned):

I’m starting to understand what [Kate] means when she says you don’t really know anything

just because you’ve heard it or read it. ‘You gotta feel it!

And, again:

I find myself using some of her expressions, now: joy, anxiety, excitement, thrill, anguish….

Those are the feelings of learning. They are not always good feelings, but they are powerful.

Student as Victim. These positive experiences are contrasted with the negative perceptions

shared by the student as victim. According to this student, Kate’s way of being impedes learning

and may even be counterproductive. “Kate … is impossible as a teacher: she’s disorganised and

impractical,” the victim asserts. “[S]he can’t teach” and “Class is a waste of time.” This student

ponders “why bother?” and “what’s the point?” and conclude with the statement “I’m learning

how to manage from this course by learning not what to do.”

Victim’s criticisms are scathing and direct. While every teacher learns that you cannot satisfy all

students, few want to “lose” or alienate students, and strongly reactive students like the victim in

this case are likely to (and, perhaps, rightly so) cause problems for the teacher, through acting out

in class, or outside of class through pejorative word-of-mouth amongst students or formal

complaint.

Of course, it is still early in the semester and the student may come to appreciate her own

learnings or to a better balance in estimation of Kate and her course. Recalling from the context-

setting introduction to the vignettes, Kate promotes reflection: students are required to write

reflective learning journals; Kate, herself, shares personal reflections regarding herself with

respect to the course; and “reflective moments” are part of most class meetings. While not

evident from the narratives, continuing reflection promotes increasing awareness and learning. If

victim remains in the course, the personal reflective process augmented by reflective sharing and

dialogue in the classroom might produce a shift in perspective. Hays (2008b; 2009) compellingly

outlines this process.

Before leaving the student as victim and her declared negative experience with Kate and

Management and Organisation, she unwittingly reveals that she has learned at least one important

lesson in the course. In her frustration, she avers:

Who cares if you can identify people at work as “leadfoots” or “hornblasters”? I don’t waste

time “driving aimlessly.” I go everywhere for a purpose, take the shortest route, and don’t

stop for any reason. Kate doesn’t care where we go; we wander from place to place, never

sure where we’re going, how long we’re going to be there, or what to do when we get there.

And, again: “I’m learning how to manage from this course by learning what not to do.”

Victim’s expert use of metaphor (specifically, The Traffic Metaphor) demonstrates clearly that

she understands and can use metaphor properly. Now, she might have had this facility

previously, but that does not discount her use of the specific analogies. Application of the notion

“driving aimlessly” to Kate’s teaching and class management, for example—however justly or

unjustly founded—is admirable and sophisticated. Victim does not, yet, realise the significance

of different types of “drivers” at work and is still to appreciate the she, herself, “is everyone

else’s traffic” (one of the key lessons of the exercise), but that may come.

Victim’s final assertion is also interesting, if worrisome. People can learn, obviously, from

others’ mistakes or performance problems. A reflective and open mind concerning such

performance may lead to productive learning and improvement. The worry, here, is that victim

may be unwilling or unable to see the positive aspects of Kate’s being (performance) and

believing that Kate’s perceived informality, casualness, and inefficiency are problematic may, as

a result, overemphasise certain controlling or directive behaviours in her own management

approach. This is likely to be the case at least until and unless victim can “let go” of her own

controlling nature and / or her potentially limiting views of people. Theory X views (Hays,

2008a) currently dominate victim’s beliefs and expectations of others, as exemplified by:

Students will take advantage of opportunities to slouch and to bad-mouth.

Students are “brownnosers” and pretend to be interested.

Students need to be told what to do and how to do it, what to learn and how to learn it.

Students are not equipped to contribute; their thoughts are irrelevant.

Victim believes that people in positions of authority, including teachers, are meant to act in

certain ways: they are supposed to be “in control” and have all the answers, amongst other

things. Victim would probably make a very meticulous and pedantic teacher who tolerates no

nonsense and ensures the divide between teacher and student remains intact.

Implications. The Teaching as Being classroom as epitomised by Kate and her version of

Management and Organisation has both strengths and weaknesses. Strengths lie in the measure

of presence, authenticity, and agency expressed by teachers and students, deep engagement with

meaningful content and process, and, presumably, as a consequence, deep, transformative

learning. It is highly inductive, and students discover, or “come to” their own conclusions. As

such, learning may be more personally relevant and enduring. While very collaborative, the

learning is also highly individual. Learning likely has a good deal of transfer out of the

classroom into real-world settings and applications. The accessibility of flow states for teachers

and students has another practical advantage as well. Class sessions of even three hours and

more seem to “fly by,” as opposed to “crawling by” as some lecture periods seem to. As Student

as Being noted above, energy is high, everyone is engaged, and no one gets sleepy.

Each of these strengths have downsides. Highly responsive and spontaneous, content and use of

class times are variable. Students may be prepared for one topic or activity, and end up doing

something else entirely. Some important content may be missed or logical sequence of

presentation can be disrupted. This can lead to student frustration and disappointment, and other

unwanted consequences such as students resigning not to prepare for class. With learning

personal and individualised, there is no easily-definable, set curriculum. Thus, assessment of

learning is complicated and distinctions amongst student learning and performance are difficult.

Assessment, then, becomes much more individualised and, hence, more work for the teacher.

This also opens up the possibility for calls of subjectivity or partiality. Hinging on intense

engagement and physical participation, classes might fail merely because students are not willing

or able to “go there.” Few students have signed up for “deep and meaningful,” and many are

more than willing to let the teacher do all the work. A downside of the high-energy, full-on

engagement of flow episodes is that, while oblivious to the drain in the moment, such periods can

be depleting and leave teachers exhausted. It is unclear the extent to which this impacts students.

A New Phenomenon

In the final analysis, Teaching as Being appears to be quite different than its more conventional

counterparts. On balance, Teaching as Being seems to offer much that conventional teaching

classrooms do not. It overcomes many of the criticisms of traditional higher and management

education, exercising sophisticated cognitive and interpersonal skills, and instilling values and

attitudes about learning, work, and people that are important for life. We can tell from the stories

included here that the ontological-existential classroom can be fulfilling and enriching for

teachers and students alike. While its potential for enhancing the experience and efficacy of

teaching and learning may be vast, Teaching as Being remains largely unexplored. Little is

known about ways of being in the classroom. We know little about how to attain them or what

their long-term effects might be. And, while this article sheds some light on these issues, more

research into the phenomenon of flow in the classroom is clearly warranted. At the same time,

the ontological-existential nature of Teaching as Being as depicted here is not for everyone. Both

teachers and students may find it too imprecise and unpredictable, devoid of content, or not the

purview of higher education in general or the management classroom in particular. It may be just

too different for many people.

It’s Tough to Be

Paradoxically, going with the flow as a teacher is not as easy as we might expect. It is hard to

just “be.” Everyone wants us to be someone or something other than we are. Learning to just

“be” may be a lifetime endeavour, complicated for teachers by heavy workloads, competing

demands, and standards, external and internal, both real and perceived. And, while this issue may

more obviously effect teachers, it is probably the case for students as well. It is the notably

exceptional student who presents as authentic. Social and professional norms and expectations

exert continuous pressure to conform and to “be a certain way,” a way that is all too often

someone other than who we really are. It would seem that if authenticity is important in the

professional sphere and in the quality of our own lives, then the classroom is a reasonable place

to allow students (people) to express who they really are, or to facilitate their becoming—their

discovery of who they really are and fulfilment of their potential as human beings

It is probably the case that creating the conditions wherein others may be their authentic selves

requires authenticity of us first. For others to feel safe “going with the flow,” especially in

circumstances that are new and different and into places they have never gone before, they need

to have faith in their guides. Students need to trust us as their teachers that we have been there

before ourselves or at least that we are going there with them. They need to know that we care

about them, will do them no harm, and that our journey together is a significant step on the path

to becoming.

Teachers who might wish to explore and further their own being either prior to or in parallel with

shepherding students along their way must be prepared for resistance, disappointment, and

perhaps even initial failures. While we have the right and may even be obliged to be, there may

be many hurdles to cross. Conviction, commitment, and persistence will be needed in the face of

students, colleagues, and maybe even self as they variously thwart going with the flow and resist

Teaching as Being. Students and colleagues may try to draw us back to the being the teacher

they want us to be. They may complain, criticise, or chastise. Students may just go along,

insincerely going through the motions to get their desired grade. Colleagues may “write us off”

as idiosyncratic and well-meaning, but impractical, unprofessional, or worse. These detours and

derailments will be different for each teacher, but we may all need to face them. We may each

need to confront and contend with the unnecessary baggage we carry around with us as teachers.

These challenges may all be a bit humbling. No matter. They represent a positive and, perhaps,

essential step forward. Our path to Teaching and Being will become gradually easier and less

encumbered as we lighten our load along the way, leaving behind the clothes and props that

defined our previous identities and limited our experience and efficacy.

Concluding Remarks

Gabriel’s “Good News” Story. Teaching as Being began with the disappointing story of Gabriel,

a teacher facing disenchantment and “burn-out” at a time when his career could have been

reaching new heights. His story continues here.

Gabriel loves his job. He loves being a teacher. He no longer just teaches. Letting some of his

baggage concerning expertise and how one teaches expertly go, Gabriel found that he could just

be. This was clearly liberating for Gabriel, and it is reasonable to assume that his students

experienced his teaching as liberating as well. Freeing himself from the tyranny of PowerPoint

presentations is just one example to which readers might relate. Being his authentic self, Gabriel

no longer had worry about letting his guard down. Needs to be a certain way are like a ball and

chain that hold us back. We don’t know how many barriers Gabriel has removed. We can

imagine, however, that many doors are opening through which he and his students may pass.

The Terrain We’ve Covered

It was noted earlier that instructional skill, methodology, and content expertise may be necessary

to effective teaching and learning, but are insufficient in producing deep, transformative learning

Things Look Up

Unhappy at work and my motivation at an all-time low, I sought counsel from friends, family, and

workmates. Well-meaning all, no one was able to lift my spirits or give me any guidance that I found

helpful. Their tips can be summarised by “you expect too much,” “find a hobby or something outside

of work that will interest you,” and “focus on your research.”

Feeling a bit desperate, I decided to visit the campus advisor to staff [a social work counsellor]. It

took only a couple of visits to tell Cheryl my story and for her to start bringing me out. She asked

numerous questions and made insightful comments that eventually brought me to the realisation that it

was not teaching or students or administrative burdens that were the problem. The problem was me.

Me and my attitude. And… well… there’s more to it than that, obviously. Like the attitudes of some

of the other faculty members. And students who just didn’t seem to want to be there. But even there I

realised it was not their problem. It was my problem. I was letting their attitudes get me down.

More importantly, I realised that I was trying too hard to teach. I had lost touch with my love of

teaching and myself as a teacher. I had lost my connection to my students, and was treating them like

numbers and not people. I was so busy crafting my teaching that I was not being a teacher. These

realisations almost knocked me over. So simple. So obvious. But what to do?

Cheryl was not, herself, an educator, so was reluctant to advise me on how I might teach differently.

But she was really good at helping me rediscover what I used to love about teaching… the things that

made it so rewarding. With her help I was able to make myself a list of qualities about teaching and

working with students that I wanted to experience again. That I wanted to define me as a teacher and

characterise my teaching.

I committed myself to being that teacher again. I won’t pretend that I could forget all those years of

academic training or would ever stop taking meticulous care in developing course outlines. But I just

decided to relax and enjoy teaching. I wanted to be myself, to “go with the flow.” Practically, this

means less pressure to get through tons of material. It means a lot less talking by me, and a lot more

interaction with my students. Now, I just pick a couple important principles, concepts, or skills for the

day and have lots of fun with them. I love my job, again. I love my students. Sometimes, some of

them even love me.

or enabling rich experiences of learning amongst teachers and students. Teaching as Being

represents a way of being in the classroom for both teachers and students that is qualitatively

different than likely to exist in the typical conventional classroom. This unique way of being

promotes deep, transformative learning because it rests in intense and authentic engagement with

issues that are meaningful to the current lives of students and teachers and that are relevant to the

real world outside of class and after graduation.

A number of propositions were put forward at the outset. These propositions framed the

exposition, the essence of which is summarised here.

1. Teaching (and learning) are not just tasks dealing with specified content (learning objectives)

more or less effectively. They are experiences, more or less positive. They need not remain

merely transactions, but can become transformations. Teaching often becomes a mechanistic,

transactional process. This mixed metaphor highlights the engineering precision with which

some teachers and educational designers develop and present instruction, as well as the business

and contractual nature education can exhibit, with presumably fair exchanges between teachers

and students. Teaching as Being conceives of teaching and learning as more than (or other than)

efficiency and contractual fairness. It is an experience, and the experience matters. A positive

experience, as with psychological capital, is an investment into the future for both students and

teachers. The more profound the experience, the deeper and more transformative the learning.

2. The experience of teaching and learning can be described and assessed. That is, more positive

experiences can be distinguished from the less so. Both teachers and students can and do assess

and describe the experience. Gabriel’s story, Parts I and II, shows that teaching (and presumably

learning) can be qualitatively and convincingly described and assessed. Moreover, Gabriel’s

story provides a first-hand phenomenological account addressing several possible phenomena,

including and notably (a) teaching and (b) experience (or emotions). The four vignettes likewise

present compelling narratives, each very different, that describe and assess Kate, her teaching,

and The Traffic Metaphor. Separately, while readers may take issue with the way conventional

teaching is described herein or dispute the merits or very existence of Teaching as Being, the two

have been clearly distinguished. Many readers, having read this article, would, for example, be

able to describe and distinguish the two in their own words.

3. The quality of the learning experience influences (a) not only what is learned but also (b) how

teachers and students think about learning, which would impact on other current and future

learning scenarios. As mentioned above, the richer the experience the more likely the learning

and the more receptive the learner becomes to other learning. Learning situations can be enriched

through many means, as enumerated in the section on pedagogy. More globally, however,

richness of experience can be attained, and sustained, by invoking presence, agency, and

authenticity, important states of being. These elements operate as virtuous cycles—positively

reinforcing loops. The more they are kept in awareness, modelled, and practiced in the

classroom, the more they lead to further deployment there. One way to keep them in awareness

is the actively reflect upon and dialogue about their use.

4. The learning experience of both teachers and students is mediated by teaching style and

instructional methodology; and, thus, making learning situations more encouraging and

rewarding is within our control. Pedagogical expertise should be considered the foundation for

Teaching as Being, a higher-order or transcendent form of teaching producing enhanced efficacy

and experience of teaching, not the terminal state. At the same time, over-reliance on technique,

media, or even content knowledge can undermine learning and the experience of learning. Being,

it is proposed, may be more effective than knowing or doing.

5. The learning experience of students (and, thus, impacting on teachers’ experience) is mediated

by learning style or orientation. It seems reasonable to assume that some students will be more

receptive to and learn from ontological-existential teaching than others, based on experience,

orientation, and level of development. Little is known about the conditions that would make a

student more or less receptive. This is an area ripe for investigation.

6. What and how students learn in the Teaching as Being environment is qualitatively different

than in more conventional classrooms. This is measurable. Learning is probably deeper, more

individual, and of a higher level of complexity. These may pose a variety of challenges, not the

least of which is to typical assessment regimes. Teaching as Being focused primarily on teachers

and teaching, and thus has less to say about learners and learning. This notwithstanding, insights

into the actual learning taking place are provided by the two student vignettes and their analyses.

Also, implications and challenges of student-centred, inductive, discovery models of learning

were discussed. It would appear that (a) this type of instruction is more effective for higher-order

understandings and skills and leads to more substantive, or transformational, learning, (b) is more

individual, and (c) is assessable, but more challenging and demanding more sophisticated and

qualitative assessment.

If nothing else, Teaching as Being emphasises that you get out of teaching what you put into it.

What’s new about that is the fact that what you put into it is less a matter of skill, method, and

efficiency and more a matter of who you are—your being. This is the genuine you, the “real

deal,” not the fabricated professional who fits the standard bill. You’ve left your ego and other

trappings at the door, and stepped into cauldron, ready to “mix it up” with your students and

together “go with the flow.” As stated earlier, a teacher’s authentic and full presence and

engagement in the classroom are essential to creating the richest possible classroom experience

for self and students. This includes adapting to and capitalising upon the dynamic flow of

energies, topics, and opportunities for learning as they arise.

The following passage from Hyde’s (2005) scholarly, yet touching exposition on the

phenomenology and ontology manifest in Mitch Albom’s (1997) Tuesdays with Morrie seems an

appropriate way to conclude. Tuesdays with Morrie, which readers may recognise as a moving

book about death and dealing with death – one of the essential qualities of life – is beyond that an

inspiring tale of being, meaning, and the relationship between a student and his teacher.

Students need devoted teachers. Teachers need devoted students. Such devotion, whether

it happens inside or outside the classroom, presupposes the event of acknowledgement, a

life-giving gift that involves the attunement of consciousness, the transformation of time

and space, the creation of dwelling places, and the appropriate rhetorical competence that

can make such places into homes known for the caring people who live and visit there.

The teacher must hear, answer, and raise the call in an engaging way: ‘Where art thou?’

‘Here I am!’ ‘Where art thou?’ The student is obliged to do the same. Both the teacher

and the student must learn to open themselves to each other so that they can be the givers

and receivers of an essential gift that helps to make life worth living.

“Here I am!” is not only a call to be recognised as Hyde’s quote suggests, as in “This is the real

me; see me; feel me,” but may be the authentic and full expression of who we are, both in the

moment and more globally, as in “I am here,” implying “you have my full presence, attention,

and commitment to making this experience as real, meaningful, and fruitful as possible.” Being a

human means being with others, not above or below them (or even in parallel with them), in a

dynamic and reciprocal relationship. This is both relevant and problematic to the teacher-student

relationship, with its many real and perceived barriers to “just being” with one another.

Teaching as Being is a call of its own, an invitation and reminder to “be there,” to engage fully in

the experience, and to value and cultivate the experience so that it is rich and enriches the lives of

all involved. This instruction is as applicable to students as it is to teachers. While teachers may

have first responsibility in creating the conditions of being in the classroom, part of becoming

entails students coming to understand and appreciate their own selves and to value the unique and

particular nature – the humanness – of those around them. When students graduate from a course

that truly and substantially embodies Teaching as Being, they will be more aware and

appreciative of who they are, and what they and their counterparts have to offer. They will feel

more able and willing to contribute in their own way. They will want to make a difference and

feel able to do so. They will see themselves and their teacher as real people, all who have

meaningful parts to play, in the classroom and beyond.

If transformative learning is to count as something more than any simple adjustment in

personal perspective and to lead to deeper changes in personal efficacy and agency, it must be

grounded in a deeper understanding of subjective experience and the relationships between self

and others. (Piper, 2004, p. 275).

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Complementary Readings

Books that have made a deep and lasting impression on the author, and that chiefly support and

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