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The Tao of Advising. Frannie Miller Academic Advisor East Tennessee State University Lifelong Fan of Winnie the Pooh. Love of Pooh is Generational. My middle Daughter at age 4!. Goals of this Session. Explain basic Taoist Philosophy (not Religion)
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The Tao of Advising • Frannie Miller • Academic Advisor • East Tennessee State University • Lifelong Fan of Winnie the Pooh
Love of Pooh is Generational • My middle Daughter at age 4!
Goals of this Session • Explain basic Taoist Philosophy (not Religion) • Apply the tenets to Academic Advising Theories • Demonstrate this using Winnie the Pooh characters and students • Share experiences, connect, and refresh
What this Session is NOT • An endorsement of the Institution of Taoism • An endorsement of Taoist beliefs as a Religion
How this Presentation Happened • Loved Pooh from childhood • Was given The Tao of Pooh as a gift in 1982 • Lost the gift • Found a copy at Mr. K’s in 2016 • Re- read it through the lens of an Advisor • The idea found me
The Uncarved Block (P’u) • Winnie the Pooh is the example of this basic Taoist Principle: “Things in their Natural State” • “The essence of the principle of the uncarved block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power.” • Pooh is able to accomplish what he does BECAUSE he possesses simplicity– which is also useful wisdom. • Pooh, in the state of the Uncarved Block sees that life is enjoyable.
Winnie the Pooh Exemplifies the Uncarved Block Everything has its own nature and when we appreciate, learn from and work with everyday life, the natural result is happiness. The vinegar of life becomes sweet because of the harmony of understanding who we are The character of Pooh is completely comfortable with who he is. “…you don’t get honey with balloons!” “I do said Pooh.”
Inner Nature • Benjamin Hoff writes: “No two people are the same…everything has its own Inner Nature…but many people do not listen to it, and consequently do not understand themselves…” • “The Way of Self Reliance starts with recognizing who we are, and what works best for us.” • We need to recognize and trust our inner nature
Bear of Very Little Brain • “People have brain, and brain can be fooled.” • Winnie the Pooh is described as the “Bear of Very Little Brain” and this is a strength– because he cannot be fooled and led away from what is right for him.
Myths of the Great Reward and Saving Time • We are too busy wasting time by trying to save it! • We can’t save time, we can only spend it, so we should be spending it with awareness and joy • We rush everything– including education.
Are we SUPPOSED to Struggle? • The Great Reward is rooted in our Puritan heritage, and in our restless ancestors who were heading west for gold, and did not understand how to live in harmony with nature. • It is not surprising that a subtext of our culture is to stifle enjoyment in the moment and to focus on the next step, the next goal, and to miss the present.
TAO: The WAY • “If we add up all the rewards in our life, they do not amount to much. But if we add up the spaces BETWEEN the rewards we will have quite a bit. • And if we add up the rewards AND the spaces, then we’ll have everything—every minute of the time we have spent. What if we could enjoy it?” • The Christmas presents once opened are Not So Much Fun… • Pooh explains: “although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it, which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.”
Goals are important because they force us to go through the process to obtain them. It is the process that makes us wise and happy • “Enjoyment of the PROCESS is the secret of the everyday significance of the word TAO- The WAY.”
Advising Theory and Taoism • Solution Focused • Appreciative • Strengths-Based All of these advisement theories can be related to Taoist Principles covered earlier
Solution Focused Advising • According to Kyle Ross, Solution focused advising employs “the miracle question” which allows students the freedom to explore options • This theory includes identifying student strengths, but also discovering what things about themselves they do not like or what others see as limitations. • Does the student want to try to change, or use the disliked limitation in a beneficial way?
Solution Focused: Tigger’s Bounce • Rabbit is annoyed with Tigger’s “bouncing” and it does get him into trouble. • But Tigger’s loud bouncing became the thing that rescued Rabbit from being lost in the forest: “Rabbit rushed through the mist at the noise, and it suddenly turned into Tigger; a Friendly Tigger, a Grand Tigger, a large and Helpful Tigger who bounced, if he bounced at all, just the beautiful way a Tigger ought to bounce.”
Solution Focused: Listening to Inner Nature • In the same story, after Rabbit leaves, Pooh the Uncarved Block, uses his inner nature to find the way the home. • “Now then Piglet, lets go home.” “But, Pooh,” cried Piglet all excited, do you know the way?” “No, but there are 12 pots of honey in my cupboard, and they’ve been calling me for hours. I couldn’t hear them properly before because Rabbit would talk, but if nobody says anything except those 12 pots, I think, Piglet, that I shall know where they are calling from. Come on.” • Solution Focused Advising at its best!
Appreciative Advising • According to Judith Bloom, The Discover phase directs advisors to notice the student’s : • Strengths • Skills • Passions • Accomplishments This is a way to uncover the Inner Nature of our students, and help us guide them towards self knowledge, which will lead to success.
Appreciative Advising and Inner Nature • Not listening to our Inner Nature is what gets people stuck– in the wrong job, wrong relationship, or even… WRONG MAJOR When we understand our own abilities and our limitations, we become wise: “The wise are who they are. They work with what they’ve got, and do what they can do.” Like POOH! • There is nothing wrong with not being able to whistle, especially if you are a fish. • There is a lot wrong with blindly trying to do what you are not designed to do. • Can you think of students who need to get in better touch with their inner nature?
Tiggers Think They Can do Everything • Clearly this student is not in tune with his/her inner nature. • Science and Math are the weak areas, and yet this student is determined to become a nurse. • What would you say to this student?
How Would You Advise Tigger? • Take a few minutes to discuss with a colleague what you would say to this student, or ask this student. • Have you had a similar situation? How did you handle it?
Strengths- Based Advising • This advising theory could help the Tigger Students, by focusing their attention on their talents and strengths. • There are phases to this method, and the first one is to IDENTIFY the students’ strengths. I often ask students to tell me about a class they really enjoyed. Finding what they do well, AND what they like is the key to discovering their true Inner Nature. • Even when students have a natural inclination towards a program of study, they still need guidance and knowledge in order to develop and strengthen their natural talent. • This type of advising can help the Tiggers and all the characters!
Teaching Students to Enjoy the Process • Do you have busy Rabbits and Owls? • Can you give an example?
Emphasize The WAY • Students who amass credit hours before stepping foot on a college campus need to be reminded there is more to “knowing” than just being correct on a test. • Knowledge that comes from experience is valuable. • Getting classes “out of the way” to reach the goal: degree/job/money is not The Way to happiness or wisdom.
Overview of Characters • Tigger: Does not know limitations- he can do EVERYTHING • Piglet: Lacks self-confidence but compassion gives him courage • Eeyore: Pessimistic about outcomes– so therefore does not put forth effort • Owl and Rabbit: Busy and know everything: “go on and on using longer and longer words…” • Pooh: IS (the hero of the story)
Pooh is the Hero • We have elements of each of these characters within us. • We tend to value the Rabbit/Owl part of ourselves, and then complain like Eeyore about the results of our behavior. • Pooh is the hero- because he lets ideas “get him”. He is not afraid to clear his mind long enough to gain wisdom and ideas. Pooh says “the best way to write poetry is letting things come.” He is Knighted by Christopher Robin at the end of the stories.
Advisors Can Make a Difference • We still have to go over core requirements, class scheduling, admission requirements, campus policies… • But the “real” advising happens between the space that is not filled in…when we do nothing– but listen. • Then we are in the enchanted forest with our students. We can teach them it is always there– and “anyone who is friendly with bears can find it.”
Advisor as Taoist! • We help students discover their inner nature • From the state of the Uncarved Block, students can truly learn to enjoy what is around them and what they do well • We help students identify limitations and to work with them • We are quiet, so that students can hear their inner voice, because without it, they cannot find their way through the forest of their education.
Works Cited • Bloom, J.L., Huston, B.L., & He, Y. The Appreciative Advising Revolution. • Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing. 2008. • Hoff, Benjamin. The Tao of Pooh. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. 1983. • Milne, A.A. Winnie-the-Pooh. London: E.P. Dutton & Co. 1956 • Milne, A.A. The House at Pooh Corner. New York: Puffin Books. 1992. • Ross, Kyle. “Adapting Solution-Focused Questioning into Advising”. • Academic Advising Today. 2017. • Schreiner, Laurie, Ph.D., Anderson, E. “Strengths-Based Advising: A New • Lens For Higher Education”. NACADA Journal 25, 2005.
