Literature on the counseling needs of special populations typically has focused on the inadequate treatment those populations receive. Counselor education programs have responded by developing courses that target specific populations such as women, minorities, or disabled people. There are serious drawbacks, however, to this proliferation of specialized courses. In this article the authors discuss those drawbacks and argue that counselor education programs should include an integrated course that facilitates student self-awareness in conjunction with practical experience with a variety of clients. Rhonda L. Margolis and Susan A. Rungta are graduate students in the
7As educators, we seek to answer the following question: "What magic can happen when you believe that people are whole and resourceful and you hold the space for generative, collective wisdom?" This chapter explores collaborative leadership and learning with adult learners. We focus on creative ways to optimize learning and enhance capacity to lead self and others.In this chapter, we share our experiences of collaborative leadership in the classroom. Our overarching premise is that collaborative leadership and collaborative learning are interdependent. Drawing on Kolb' s (1984) experiential learning model, current theories of mindfulness and presence, and coaching principles and practices, we explore the possibilities for meeting learners in the classroom in a way that honors adult learning principles, leadership development, and individual learner needs. We prefer the term learner to student because learner captures the essence of curiosity, discovery, collaboration, self-awareness, and personal mastery we strive to support. These values coexist with our responsibility as educators for clearly articulated competencies, learning outcomes, and assessment guidelines. Our aim is to recognize that adult learners are partners in the learning experience. As such, they can help to cocreate a collaborative leadership learning environment.As we share our examples and experiences, we focus on the opportunities to collaborate with learners in service of enriching their learning experiences and enhancing capacity to lead themselves and others. We continue to explore the following question in our teaching and facilitation practice: "What magic can happen when, as an educator, you believe that people are whole and resourceful and you hold the space for generative, collective wisdom?" This question inspires us to seek creative ways to engage adult learners in collaborative learning spaces that optimize both individual and collective learning and promote collaborative leadership in the learners' own contexts.
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