It's important to consider the voices heard, the voices unheard and why the difference exists?
It's important to consider who you listen to, and who you don't listen to and why the difference?
It's important to consider if you listen to those who society may hold up as important and not listen to those who society may demean.
It's important to think about whose voices matter in your world, and how you listen to those voices, acknowledge their words, and regard their perspectives.
Listening is sometimes easy and sometimes very difficult for all kinds of reasons.
As I think of this tonight, I am thinking of times when I've been heard and times when I have been ignored. To be ignored is hurtful and to be listened to is affirming.
Our students are also cognizant of who is listening to them and who is not--like us, they hope to be heard, respected, and regarded.
Sometimes structures create difficult situations for listening. For example sometimes when I'm fully involved with teaching, there are some who want to stop by and talk. I can't talk then as my responsibility is with the children.
Sometimes there are some whose jobs are so cumbersome and time-consuming, that they rarely have time to talk or be listened to. They are relegated to jobs that provide them with no one to talk to and no one to listen. Those kinds of jobs are very lonely and isolating. In most cases, those kinds of jobs should not exist as they lack dignity.
Good process creates opportunities for good listening. When good process doesn't exist, voices are often not heard. Equity is integral to being heard as is honesty and ethics--in unethical, self-serving, unjust environments, there are many voices that are left unheard.
In the days ahead, I'll be thinking of this topic. I'll be thinking of it particularly as I consider the many students I teach, meetings I attend, people I collaborate with, friends, and family members.
There is much to hear in this noisy, busy lives of ours, and that means we have to be even more cognizant of the need to listen and truly hear what others have to say.
