Learning in open space?

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Arthur,
here is a little exchange I sometimes tell people about (of course,
quite fictional and therefore really true).
The setting: Harrison and Marv (Marvin Weisbord of future search
fame) meet.
Marvin: Tell me, Harrison, can you teach open space?
Harrison: Well, I don't think you can teach it but perhaps you can
learn it.
Marvin: Hmmmm??
Harrison: Come to think of it, you can neither teach nor learn it but
you can remember it.

Your comment on facilitation and children I find very interesting.
There have been a few incidents where I have had children in open
space-events. Once, there were 40 children aged 6 through 11 (they
came from various post-kindergarden places, called "Hort" in German)
that came to an 3 hr open space on a Friday afternoon. I did my usual
introduction. When the time came for them to post their issues, they
litterally jumped to it. And then something happened that really
unsettled me (fortunately I was too stunned to do anything !). Once a
child had posted its issue he/she left the circle to go outside to
get something from the buffet or play. And all the rest that had
issues did the same, so only a few kids stayed in the circle. When
the issue thing was over the remaining kids also left the room. I
still did not do anything. And then all of them came back, listened
to me for a minute regarding the market place, signed in and started
working in groups in about 10 minutes.
Now tell me, how they oriented themselves. I dont know.
This whole setting seemed so natural and organic to them without me
doing practically nothing. Ok, who was the fellow learning. Right,
me.
And the half dozen paedagogues that had come along to accompanie the
kids. They looked completely fazed and stood around the room mostly
with their mouth open and did not believe that these were the same
kids that they had known for years.
So, you are right, especially children need none of that
paternalistic stuff and if they get it (here I think any age group
would respond similarly) they rebell more or less directly.
And you know why they do that?
I have a hunch, especially after the training with Birgitt Williams
earlier this week on the os-organization:
the moment you violate the open space-organization (and it is already
in place in all organizations) you experience resistance. The members
of the organization (especially directly kids, I presume) will see to
it that the os-organization is not shut down.
Harrisons wisdom on this is clearer to me know: There is one way to
close down an open space-event and that is when you try to control
it.
Greetings from Berlin
michael

PS: If you like to have the type of os-training I described in
Portugal, call me.



>PS: Did I ever tell you that, in my opinion, "teaching" is the WORST
>way to obtain LEARNING from students or participants? And I am also
>thinking more and more that "less is more" is a "general law of Spirit",
>(as Harrison would say). Beware of all methods where the facilitator
>"facilitates to much" in a "paternalistic" way - as if participants were
>little children that we must teach and guide - which, by the way, is the
>wrong way even with little children...
>
>





Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1
12209 Berlin, Germany
FON +49 - 30-772 8000     FAX +49 - 30-773 92 464
www.michaelMpannwitz.de

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>From  Sat Jun 16 11:57:05 2001
Message-Id: <SAT.16.JUN.2001.115705.0400.>
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 11:57:05 -0400
Reply-To: lpasoc at inforamp.net
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Larry Peterson <lpasoc at inforamp.net>
Subject: Re: Theme brainstorm
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In the training that Diane and I do, we generate the theme with the group in
the first half-day of training.  We use the same process we would use with a
client to generate a theme, looking at the context, givens and commitments.
We have used my slide set as a guide to the process.  One of us sponsors the
OS the next morning based on what emerges.  The other one Opens.  One
criteria is that "Open Space Technology" is not in the theme.  It has to be
something that folks are passionate about in their lives (work or other) and
appreciative and future oriented.  The theme is always an intuitive leap for
the group after some dialogue about the context.  Someone will make the leap
and connect to consciousness of the group, particularly in a training.

At the last training event in February the theme was about "Unleashing
Personal Energy and Power in Our Lives.  It was an exciting Open Space for
the participants.

A version of the theme was suggested by one of the participants to her staff
team which is in a difficult situation.  I just Opened the Space for a them
with their modification and contextualizing of the theme by their
leadership.  It worked extremely well.  I have come to believe that the
theme is important in giving energy and focus to an event and that the
sponsors and participants know best what they have a passion to explore.

With a client, I have had senior sponsors who did not want to involve others
find the theme that turned on their organization.  I have had others pick
one and discover the dead moose, that many of the staff really didn't have
much passion for that focus.

Larry

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