continued..
Carl Rogers’ three core principles for a person centred approach to one’s relationships with others, describes a key influence on my development as a teacher and designer since 1990. They also became, once again, a critical reference point during the complex interpersonal processes pertaining to the example I’m about to describe.
"The first element has to do with genuineness, realness, or congruence. The more the teacher is him or herself in the relationship, putting up no professional front or personal facade, the greater is the likelihood that the student will change and grow in a constructive manner.
The second attitude of importance in creating a climate for change is acceptance, or caring or prizing - unconditional positive regard. It means that when the teacher is experiencing a positive, nonjudgmental, accepting attitude toward whatever the student is at that moment, learning is more likely.
The third facilitative aspect of the relationship is empathic understanding. This means that the teacher senses accurately the feelings and personal meanings that are being experienced by the student and communicates this acceptant understanding to the student.”
I also always have ‘I’m OK. You’re OK ” as a mantra ringing in my ears when the going gets tough!
My most recent design
commission of ‘Feelgood’ by Alistair Beaton for the English
Theatre in Vienna – a very straightforward job, I thought, more
an exercise in ingenuity than inspiration; a show with specific demands
in its staging, for a postage stamp-sized stage space and limited general
resources, was thwarted by a lack of directness from the theatre’s
producer (a perfectly pleasant woman, working in her own way to ensure
the best possible production in her theatre) who seemed to use her power
to control the activities of the resident staff and, from where I was
sitting, undermine the progress of the design’s realisation. However,
the director Phil Young’s cheerful frankness with others, and
loyalty to me, together with, I hope, my own ability and willingness
to listen and remain good humoured and calm, ensured that the show became
a critical success and never erupted with any overt acrimony or conflict.
Slide from Powerpoint presentation
There seemed to be a persistent ‘whispering’ campaign against
the set - the photo panels either side of the stage and the yellow line
motif painted on the sides of flats and delineating the acting area,
as well as bordering the individaul photographs, were the clear bones
of contention - usefully evidenced by a substantial email correspondence
from the producer in Frankfurt, where the show transferred to at the
beginning of April. This even whilst the show was being performed in
Vienna apparently enjoying critical plaudits and good box office returns.
[link to web page of production
photographs]
I’m still bemused that a yellow line can provoke such hostility.
NB It seems improper to publish the complete email correspondence on the web, so I've elected to summarise the situation here and just give the bare bones of the issue. My principal interest is not the circumstance of this particular show but the abiding problems of working within hierarchical structures that always have unsettled me.
I'm quite sure it is essential in this kind of circumstance to grit one’s teeth and, at least, try hard to apply the lessons learnt from examining and working to implement the principles of a person centered approach. Fortunately it all turned out fine for all concerned except, paradoxically, possibly for me. The design wasn’t as well realised as I’d intended, which was (admittedly only mildly) frustrating.
Through this experience, frequently repeated in different ways in many different situations, I am attempting to continue to work, quietly, with an underlying aim to enhance the working culture within the Theatre School at Wimbledon School of Art. I would like to ensure that the ‘skills’ of congruent communication and unconditional positive regard, which I believe to be vital in order to survive professionally in any discipline, can be delivered in the curriculum.
However, it remains to be seen if it is possible to sustain our mission to enhance the students’ self esteem and facilitate the development of their critical self awareness and creative independence. I think this aim can only be realised in an environment where students command total responsibility for their learning. However, what seems to be developing now, at least it does to me, sadly, is an environment increasingly bureaucratically driven by various agencies (without and within) which results, inevitably, in an impositional teaching and learning culture.
March 18th 2005 (revised September 13th 2005)
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Postscript
E-mail: db@davidburrows.com