providing information -- (long from Ed Ball)

[Edward Ball]

Good morning, Julie

After about 26 years on various university campuses I would like to ask that
you

1. take off the traditional "professor/instructor/teacher" hat,

2. leave behind the constructs that go with "teaching/sharing
information/testing/skill set demonstrations/grading,"

3. challenge the people who want to attend your session to leave all their
personal baggage that comes with their cultural interpretation of the word
"student/trainee" in the hall before they come in the room, and,

4. focus on creating and holding space for a learning journey by the
participants and yourself.

As was I, you may be surprised with the intesity and the speed with which
people can learn when you design your sessions to consistently include
activities that respectfully  allow/ encourage visual, auditory, and
kinesiology based learning to take place.

Visualize, if you will, a university course on intercultural communication.
37 upper division students taking a required course.  The first class meeting
was devoted to sharing the departmental and university requirements for the
course (typical lecture format) with an assignment to come back the next week
prepared to document for the dean of the school the "contract" we would
develop regarding the operation of the class by discussing the question:

"What are the issues and opportunities facing the class in meeting all the
requirements for the class, cover the entire syllibus, document performance
for grading purposes, and LEARN the challenges associated with intercultural
communication in Southern California -- and by extention to other cultural
groups."

Julie, the class did more reading, assimilating, questioning, discussing,
integrating, and in-depth writing than any class with which I was involved.
It was lively, fun, and rarely quit when the class was "over" at 10:00 PM.
What energy and learning.  We covered the required readings in the first 2/3
of the semester and had the semester "grades" ready for recording two-weeks
before the designated time for final exams and yet everyone was there for
each class and the "final exam" during which we did a closing circle.

No, the course was not repeated in an OST format.  We sometimes failed to
return the chairs to the "rows" as requried by the maintenance staff so they
could not always finish their assigned duties for the night whcih created
heat for the dean.  We made noise which we learned disrupted the lectures of
the faculty up and down the hall which created heated discussions in the
Academic Senate regarding non-tratidional "teaching" methods.  The class did
not take a break at the same time as everyone else and there were times when
the folks actually talked in the hall when other classes were in session.

Julie, have some fun with the LEARNING side of mediation training/teaching.
Provide an environment for the folks to develop for themselves the essence of
mediation within the framework of current theory and commonly accepted
practices in the field.  Then be ready to be surprised by the participants
and what they achieve, other faculty and the rigidity of their approach to
"teaching" mediation, the maintenance staff and the power they wield, and
yourself in how you smile at the results you achieve in helping to make a
difference in the world.

With kindest regards,
Edward C. Ball, Associate
Hanna & Associates

4678 West Hoffer Street
Banning, CA 92220-1283 USA

E-mail: <A HREF="mailto:EdBall at Hanna-OpenSpace.com">EdBall at Hanna-OpenSpace.com</A>

Telephone: 909.922.0856
Fax: 909.922.0956

Web sites:
     <A HREF="http://www.hanna-openspace.com/">www.Hanna-OpenSpace.com</A>
     <A HREF="http://www.hanna-policygovernance.com/">www.Hanna-PolicyGovernance.com</A>



In a message dated 08/02/2002 12:30:54 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
jsmith at mosquitonet.com writes:


> This idea of sharing information is part of what I'm trying to get at.
> The idea of sharing information has a humility about it that feels right
> to me.  When I think about going into a classroom to "teach," I feel
> very uncomfortable.... like I'm violating the proper relationship
> between me and others.  The hierarchy of teacher-over-student doesn't
> resonate with me.
>
> At the same time, I also feel that part of the proper relationship
> between people is to share information.  I think we help each other
> along the way if we share our insights and learning with each other.
> Sharing information simply makes it available.  It doesn't require
> allegiance or acceptance by another, but simply makes it easily
> accessible.  It isn't graded, and there is no judgment passed about
> whether another person agrees or disagrees with the information.
> (Ahhhh.... the thorny problem of grading raises its head again..... and
> I have this funny feeling I might be arguing against something I said
> earlier..... oh well....)
>
> So....... if we're going to share information with required reading
> material or selected things posted on the walls, then why not share
> information verbally, in conversation and dialogue?  Why separate these
> different ways of sharing information?  They are all forms of
> communication.  Once we decide we're going to actively and deliberately
> communicate something TO the group, why stop there?  Why not actively
> engage WITH the group?
>
> It seems to me that if we're going to try to translate the OST process
> from the boardroom to the classroom, there needs to be room for
> information sharing by everyone, including the "teacher."   I guess I'm
> circling back to the idea wendy and fredr'c came up with... if the
> person in the role of teacher wants to participate on a given day, we
> need a different person to facilitate... and if we do that, the OST
> process will serve very well....
>
> .....but only if the space is truly open.  That means taking care of the
> things OST has already learned to take care of ~ defining a theme that
> matters to the people who will participate, inviting voluntary
> participation, not being wedded to a particular outcome.
>
> But all of that is tricky in the school setting.  Help me out here
> 'cause I'm feeling stuck again.  Part of my role is to help students
> learn how to mediate.  That's a pretty narrow goal, and the parameters
> of what it means to mediate are limited by the definition of what
> mediation is.  There's lots of opportunity to maneuver within the
> process, but all in all, the space feels pretty closed.  There is an
> expected outcome: adherence to a specific process.  Does that mean that
> if my goal is to help students learn a particular skill, OST might be
> the wrong process?
>
> I can imagine using OST in the classroom if I broadened the theme to
> something like "What issues and opportunities do we have to resolve
> conflict in our school?"  With a theme like that, this entire discussion
> would be unnecessary.  It would be pure and simple OST.  And maybe
> that's the answer.  If I want to integrate OST into the work I do, maybe
> I need to consider redefining the parameters of what I'm doing.  At the
> same time, I'm curious about this other question.  Is it possible to use
> OST to facilitate learning about a specific and limited skill-set, like
> mediation?
>
> Julie
>

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