All the work I did in last two months on listening, I did not use directly in the session, or you can say “children did not need” my understanding of listening skills. They constructed the understanding with their own experience and thinking.
I went with a CLEAN mind and did not want to start with what I know about the objective of listening. One of the child expressed ““hearing is through ears and listening is through mind”. Questions they shared “I listen and add my thoughts, is that I am never listening If I add my thought”? How can one listen without adding thoughts?”
I enjoyed listening to all the kids – I realized If I keep “me” out of the session, I am more attentive and ready to accept all kinds of thoughts. ME includes – my understanding, my knowledge, my perspective and my expectations. So, work of last two months on listening helped ME to listen – so all the efforts were worthJ.
I am personally enjoying the way the kids are taking this – It is not the way I would like to be, but it is the way they understand. Ah!!! My listening skills helped me to look at my understanding from their perspectiveJ.