Our Guide

It turns out that learning

how to teach, has really helped

me learn about Teachers.

Recently I've been struggling to figure

out how to guide children

to explore.

Steven E. Gutstein Ph.D. said,

"Guides act as a catalyst, 

leading Apprentices to the 'edge' of their competence

 and inviting them to take one step beyond,

 but not forcing or demanding that they do so. 

They view themselves as a 'potentiating' 

and not a 'directing' force. "

Therapy then is getting the student 

to the "edge", and it is there

on the edge where the student

will grow the most.

However, the instructor should have

enough foresight to not give the

child a challenge that 

he or she cannot handle.

The teacher's role then is to:

Provide Opportunity

Support and

Give Suggestions

And the student's role is to:

Push themselves

Take suggestions

and to rely on their Guide.

This type of guidance works

well with autism in a therapy session

but, let's be honest, there's a bigger message

here as well.

It's only as we allow 

ourselves to be pushed to the "edge"

that we will truly reach

our potential.

We have to learn to rely on our Guide,

to remember that he will never give us 

a task that we cannot handle.

We HAVE to take his suggestions,

no matter how contrary to our

simple minds they seem.

Because.
When we're pushed is
when we can truly learn and grow.