Opening space, transfer-in, small spaces

[Julie Smith]

Hi Michael,

I might have an opportunity to test your thinking in a high school
setting this year.  I'll be spending 4 - 5 weeks in a number of high
schools teaching peer mediation this fall.  This will be a regular
classroom setting.  The class is Health Leadership Skills.  Peer
Mediation is one component of the course curriculum.  The primary given
for this portion of the curriculum is that students learn how to
mediate.  If I could figure out how to achieve the course objectives
using OST, I would happily do so.

Whenever I start thinking this way, I wonder if the problem is the wrong
starting point.  Instead of asking "How can we teach students to be
mediators?" I find myself wanting to ask students "What needs to happen
for us to have a peaceable school?" or "What are the core elements of a
peaceable school?  What must be in place in order for us to treat each
other peaceably?"

Maybe it's hard to think about OST in the classroom because we have so
many preconceived ideas about what our children need to learn.  It seems
like our educational system defines the questions AND the answers.  Not
much room for open space when the space is closed.

I'm still curious about ideas for teaching mediation using OST.  I'm
also thinking that perhaps an initial OST around the broader questions
might be helpful, if only to reveal more clearly to all of us that
mediation is simply one way among many.

Julie

> -----Original Message-----
> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Michael
> M Pannwitz
> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 8:53 AM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: Opening space, transfer-in, small spaces
>
> Dear Julie,
> thanks for your posting.
> You wrote
>
> >  It's conceivable that
> >using OST with teachers may lead to them using OST in THEIR
classrooms.
>
> This is the part that intrigues me most. Yes, several have as I have,
> worked with teachers, with whole schools, with student body
> representatives, with professional teachers associations, with
> students at colleges and universities and I have worked with schools
> and parts of schools and institutions around schools and schools with
> their neighborhood and often schoolchildren (daycare, gradeschool,
> highschool) were part of this. It was all very rich and productive
> and had even sustained impact.
> And everytime the teachers ask what it would be like to use it in an
> ongoing elementary (or highschool) classroom. Knowing that the open
> space-organisation or structure is there in the classroom makes it
> clear that it can happen. For some reason, it has never been carried
> further than asking the question "shouldnt we try this in our day to
> day work in our classrooms (elementary etc. schools)?".
> Anyone out there who has been in touch with ost in regular, ongoing
> school-work at this level?
> Greetings from Berlin
> michael

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