Message in the Guestbook of Gentle Teaching International
Encounter with Gentle Teaching
At the final day of GT International Conference in Denmark in September, was the last time I met John McGee. We had an intensive and deep discussion about John’s long letter which he had sent on June 11, 2011. The content of the letter was “the current circumstances and the future of GT”. We promised to continue talking more about details in Japan 2013. But very unfortunately we couldn’t make it true. Since I met John in 1989, I’ve learned from him the meaning of companionship and the ways to develop gentle communities.
As you can read the article that was sent by A.A.J Millenaar (Gentle Teaching in Japan-20 Year History dated, December, 2014- Gentle Teaching site http://www.gentleteaching.yourdevsite.ca/), my Japanese colleagues and I set up the Japanese Society for Gentle Teaching (JSGT) encouraged by John. Our activities based on GT have been continuing more than 20 years.
In several areas throughout Japan from the north to the south we started holding GT workshops by our own care agencies, so called “Gentleness Centers”. Up to now, there are 10 Gentleness Centers. During the processes of developing our Gentleness Centers we got precious advice from John. That has been very much meaningful for all of us.
I would like to share with all of you in which John had been encouraging us, that is, written in his above-mentioned last long letter dated June 11, “The good that you have done related to a culture of gentleness in Japan, Asia, and in so many other nations has been amazing and a true act of leadership and global mentoring. I am very grateful to you for all that you have done and are doing. Indeed, your many years of strong example and insight have had a unique and enduring contribution to the formation of what Gentle Teaching is today and what it will be well into the future.”
We are missing John so much, however we are continuing ongoing process for building Gentle Communities with his spirits.
Masako Iwasaki
Representative “Japanese Society for Gentle Teaching(JSGT)”
I was blessed to meet John in 1986 and had a long and fruitful relationship with him over those 27 plus years. He helped me in a number of settings introduce Gentle Teaching to care givers in Ohio. In 2007 we began an effort to establish what we called the Positive Culture Initiative in Ohio. From that point up until his passsing John visited Ohio multiple times each year travelling all over the state and introducing providers, families and care givers to the beauty of Gentle Teaching. I was lucky enough to meet with John on most of his trips to Ohio.
His legacy is the living and growing work of Gentle Teaching in Ohio. Though we miss him dearly his words, his teaching and his love for all is kept alive by those who continue his work.