Transcendent Teacher Learner Relationships

Hunter O’Hara, Ed.D. (1992), West Virginia University, is Professor of Education, Emeritus, undergraduate and graduate studies at The University of Tampa, Florida, USA. Dr. O'Hara is an academic leader, having served as Chair of the Education Department at that university for eleven years. He has written and published over thirty articles in peer reviewed, scholarly journals.

Advance praise for Transcendent Teacher Learner Relationships:

“Hunter O’Hara crafts a rare work of significance that encapsulates the art of great teaching. The focus of the book on the transcendent teacher learner relationship reveals the core of educational effectiveness. Wrapped up in the unique package of teacher as shaman, this book gifts the reader great insight and powerful examples. Revives teaching as joyous - a must read for all educators.” – Patty O’Grady, Teacher, Teacher Educator and Author of Positive Psychology in the Classroom, W. W. Norton, 2013

“Obviously written by a careful scholar and person of integrity and rather beautiful ideas. There is something lovely and authentic and very personal about his work. I feel the rarity of what he talks about.” – Maxine Greene, Ph.D., Teachers College, Columbia University, teacher, author, existential philosopher of education of Hunter O’Hara’s original research on transcendent teacher learner relationships

"In an era when teachers are losing more of their power and free-will in the classroom every day, Hunter O’Hara reminds us all to stay connected to the truth: Authentic education is a co-mingling of souls, and both teacher and learner have so much to gain when they harness the power of the transcendent. Dr. O’Hara gathers the wisdom of the ages and then performs the remarkable task of offering us a grounded road map, enabling courageous teachers to bring these gifts to their students. Transcendent Teacher Learner Relationships: The Way of the Shamanic Teacher should be required reading in all education programs.” – Patricia Dunn-Fierstein, LCSW, CST-T, Jungian Psychotherapist, author of the forthcoming novel Finding Grace

“I entered into Hunter O’Hara’s work and experienced many moments that moved me deeply, at times with great joy but also with feelings of sadness in the awareness that transcendent relationships are rare and that many children and adults go through an entire lifetime without knowing one of life’s treasures - the mystery, beauty, and wonder of a loving relationship. His writing is vivid and alive and with passion and depth portrays the nature and essence of the constituents of a transcendent relationship.” – Clark Moustakas, Ed.D., Ph.D., founder of the Center for Humanistic Studies (now the Michigan School of Professional Psychology) of Hunter O’Hara’s original research on transcendent teacher learner relationships

“At once humbling and empowering, this work will not fail to touch its readers and, ultimately, bring to learners authentic caring, love, hope, and a sense of being valued. The very real stories of the teachers and learners that are revealed here in their portraits leap vividly off the pages of the book. Hunter O’Hara’s bold vision of schools of transcendence is the next crucial step toward transcendent relationships and community consciousness. Readers will be inspired by this vision in Dr. O’Hara’s ground breaking work and will be able to look within themselves for the capacity to become shamanic transcendent teachers.” – Edyth James Wheeler, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, Towson University, teacher and author of Conflict Resolution in Early Childhood: Helping Children Understand and Resolve Conflicts, Merrill, 2004

Acknowledgements

1 The Nature of the Transcendent Relationship
 1 Dash and the Electrician: A Parable of a Transcendent Relationship
 2 Analysis
 3 Teacher and Learner
 4 The King’s Speech
 5 The Transcendent Teacher
 6 The Transcendent Teacher Learner Relationship
 7 The Author’s Background with Teaching and Learning Encounters
 8 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
 9 The Mother as Teacher
 10 Life at School
 11 How People Acted at School
 12 Life at Home
 13 What I Needed at School
 14 Teacher Realness
 15 Mrs. Peggy Pridemore, Transcendent Teacher
 16 Down the Road
 17 A Reflection Before a Storm, Then Sunshine
 18 Teacher Power and Relationships
 19 Questions for Thought

2 The Nature of the Transcendent Shamanic Teacher
 1 Anne And Helen
 2 Transcendent Shamanic Teaching
 3 The Transcendent Shamanic Teacher Merges with the Learner
 4 Transcendent Shamanic Teaching as a Glamorous Act
 5 Transcendent Shamanic Teaching Uplifts, Heals and Mobilizes the Learner
 6 A Note Regarding the Unencumbered Learner and the Transcendent Shamanic Teacher
 7 The Origins of Transcendent Shamans
 8 Portrait of Veronica and Theoni
 9 Veronica Risks
 10 Final Thoughts from Theoni
 11 Transcendent Shamanism in the Everyday Context
 12 Questions for Thought

3 Portrait of Transcendent Shamanic Teacher
 1 Peggy the Learner and Her Transcendent Teacher Mr. Santon
 2 Peggy the Teacher
 3 Charley
 4 Peggy and Hunter
 5 A Moment of Peggy’s Teaching: An Act of Glamour and Power
 6 Questions for Thought

4 An Ethic of Care, Tact and Tone
 1 An Ethic of Care
 2 Obstacles to Caring for the Learner
 3 Tact
 4 Tone
 5 Questions for Thought

5 Portrait of Transcendent Relator
 1 At Home
 2 Frances
 3 Ms. Nettie
 4 The Pedagogy of Manners
 5 Being Open
 6 The Art of Conversation
 7 Freedom and Afffection
 8 Questions for Thought

6 Trust, Freedom and Mother Love
 1 The Facilitator
 2 Three Essential Attitudes of the Facilitator
 3 A Bit on Trust from Rogers
 4 The Move toward Freedom
 5 Mother Love
 6 Questions for Thought

7 Portraits of Transcendent Relators
 1 Lauren
 2 Lauren’s School Experiences
 3 The Connection
 4 Portrait of Kathy
 5 Kathy
 6 Kathy in High School
 7 Kathy at College
 8 Questions for Thought

8 Risk, Authority and Trust
 1 Authority and Corresponding Risk
 2 The Dilemma of Building a New Authority Dynamic
 3 Trust
 4 An Atmosphere of Security
 5 The Revelation of the Teacher’s Innermost Self
 6 Morning Spirit
 7 Questions for Thought

9 Portraits of Transcendent Relators
 1 Jerry
 2 A Cold Teacher (Ms. Gilzenskolds [A Pseudonym])
 3 Leslie, a Caring Teacher
 4 Jerry at Saint Albans High School
 5 A Little Thing
 6 Afffijirming the Learner’s Individuality
 7 Portrait of Transcendent Shamanic Teacher: Leslie
 8 Leslie (Jerry’s Professor)
 9 Spiritual Professor
 10 Direct Professor
 11 Beloved Professor
 12 Challenging Professor
 13 Pushing Professor
 14 Graceful Professor
 15 Leslie the Teacher
 16 Putting Oneself in the Place of the Learner
 17 Jerry (Prior Portrait) and Leslie
 18 Risk
 19 Questions for Thought

10 Balance, Transcendence and Dispositions
 1 Maxine Greene, Freedom and Negotiation
 2 Freedom and Discipline
 3 The Transcendence Space
 4 Hospitality
 5 Teacher Reflection
 6 Transcendence
 7 Hope
 8 Creativity
 9 Awareness
 10 Faithful Doubt
 11 Wonder, Awe and Reverence
 12 Questions for Thought

11 Portraits of Transcendent Relators
 1 Kellen
 2 Kellen’s Life
 3 Jan
 4 Dr. Noy
 5 Dr. Ball
 6 Portrait of Dr. Ball
 7 Dr. Ball (Kellen’s Professor)
 8 The Service
 9 More Background
 10 Dr. Ball, the Teacher
 11 The Teacher as Empowerer, Not as Helper
 12 Humor and Answers
 13 Questions for Thought

12 Reconciliation, Banking Education, Problem Posing Education, the I-It and I-Thou Relationships, and the Teacher as Midwife
 1 Reconciliation between Teacher and Student
 2 Banking Education
 3 Problem Posing Education
 4 The I-IT Relationship
 5 The I-Thou Relationship
 6 Becoming Mutual
 7 Dialogue and Inclusion
 8 The Teacher as Midwife
 9 Communion
 10 Questions for Thought

13 Portrait of Transcendent Shamanic Teacher
 1 Laura
 2 First Transcendence
 3 The Confrontation
 4 The Transformation
 5 A Mutual Relationship
 6 Laura the Teacher
 7 Equality and Freedom
 8 Humor
 9 The Mutual Exchange
 10 Reciprocal Relationships
 11 Questions for Thought

14 Power, Rhythm, the Turning Point, Limits, Limitations and Labeling
 1 Compelling Powers and Rhythm
 2 Establishing a Bond with the Learner
 3 The Turning Point
 4 Limits and Limitations
 5 The Damaging Impact of Labels
 6 Precocious Learners and Labeling
 7 Questions for Thought

15 Portrait of Transcendent Shamanic Teacher
 1 Beth
 2 Beth’s Classroom
 3 Beth the Teacher
 4 Alexander
 5 Removing Barriers
 6 Questions for Thought

16 The Transcendent Teacher-Learner Relationship: A Class Investigation
 1 Introduction/Perspectives of the Research
 2 Methods/Data Source
 3 Composite Narratives
 4 Summary and Implications
 5 Implications for Early Childhood Teacher Educators
 6 Questions for Thought

17 Miracles Can Happen: The School of Transcendence
 1 Perspectives on Education
 2 Methods/Data Source
 3 Findings
 4 Philosophical Orientation and Approach to Creating Learning Encounters
 5 Curricula
 6 Planning and Scheduling
 7 Assessment And Evaluation
 8 Physical Space
 9 School Community Interpersonal Relationships
 10 Traditional Schools as Places of Violence
 11 Governance of the School of Transcendence
 12 Transcendence-Oriented Approaches Implemented in Reggio Emilia Schools
 13 Metaphors for the School of Transcendence
 14 Conclusion
 15 Questions for Thought

18 Putting It All Together
 1 A Synthesis of the Research on Transcendent Teacher Learner Relationships
 2 Love
 3 Trust, Risk and Tact
 4 Seeing from the Other’s Point of View
 5 Dialogue and the Reduction of Distance
 6 Mutuality and Reciprocity
 7 Transcendent Impact
 8 Community
 9 The Transformative Impact of the Transcendent Teacher Learner Relationship
 10 Questions for Thought

Appendix A: Heuristic Research Methodology and Procedures

Appendix B: Transcendent Teacher Dispositions

Appendix C: Role Play Scenarios

References

All interested in teacher education and philosophy of education.