Power and Dominance

Connor Lidell wrote: I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just something I observed.

They have the potential to be bad. Like everything else, it's up to the user.

Excuse me if I'm repeating what someone else said. My eyes are a bit buggy at the moment.

By your definition of power, Connor, it's possible to demonstrate power just through leading by example. Our actions on their own can influence people, but it's indirect and allows the person to figure things out for themselves and make their own choices. So I suppose you can say that is power without dominanace.

Maybe so! I hadn't considered this either. Indirect dominance can lead to the best kind of growth.

One of the ways in which I use my professorial power in my college classrooms is to facilitate the appreciation that it is a 'safe place' where students may express their insights, feelings, and opinions. One of my learning goals is to teach them how to express their thoughts fearlessly, but also academically, and how to allow others do the same. My dominant power role as referee (and not judge) enables freedom of expression. Trust is learned and earned. The classroom milieu is cleared of some kinds of fear though student self-doubt and insecurity may remain. While the content of the course may be World Religions, Ethics or Philosophy, a student may also learn self-confidence as they learn the subject matter.

Alan wrote: One of the ways in which I use my professorial power in my college classrooms is to facilitate the appreciation that it is a 'safe place' where students may express their insights, feelings, and opinions. One of my learning goals is to teach them how to express their thoughts fearlessly, but also academically, and how to allow others do the same. My dominant power role as referee (and not judge) enables freedom of expression. Trust is learned and earned. The classroom milieu is cleared of some kinds of fear though student self-doubt and insecurity may remain. While the content of the course may be World Religions, Ethics or Philosophy, a student may also learn self-confidence as they learn the subject matter.

i took acting and theater for that, but whatever works :laugh:
it seems to me that any teacher worth their salt would use the same method you mention...or at least my professors did in eng. comp1, comp2,psychology,human sexuality,philosophy,acting,theater,etc....

communication is a key element in any form of control/dominance....