Archive for: Personal Story
Is Coyote my spirit guide?
We have lots of coyotes around. Every other night I can here them calling and yipping. According to some of the neighbors, there is a group of dens in the hills and pastures between us and the highway two miles away. The coyotes will come up to our fence line. Theyre surely checking out the horses and perhaps hoping to catch one of the cats away from the shed. In fresh snow I like to follow the tracks they leave as they chase mice.
“Stop yellin’ at me and I’ll stop rolling my eyes”
The main idea that attracted me to Coyote Mentoring is that teaching and counseling works best at the edge. A person grows when they are approached in his comfort zone and then pushed. It is a subtle and powerful thing that I’ve observed and experienced many times.
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A Different Exam Anxiety
Most of the students have had very limited academic success. At my school they find hope as they work through their courses and realize that they are capable. Despite this success during the year, I fully expected the students to suffer high anxiety at test time. Yesterday, at the first diploma exam of the year, the anxiety was high but it was of a very different sort.
Advance and Retreat
Advance and retreat is a common training tactic. I’ve used it very successfully with my horse. In fact, with Chiquita, when she doesn’t feel like being engaged, I force the issue a little bit. I increase the pressure on her by walking aggressively. I aim my gaze directly at her and point my body to her hind quarters. “If you want to walk away from me, I’ll make you run.” The strange thing is that when I take the pressure off by turning away and dropping my posture, she’ll turn and begin to walk toward me. She may not respond quickly but after a few tries she usually wants to follow me around.
WEM Stalk
I tried my first experiment at stalking people. West Edmonton Mall seemed a great place to try it. I began by just trying to follow the person in frog of me and staying in his “blind spot”. Close behind the person seems best. But some had a sense that I was there. I must have been too loud or obvious.
