Using OS in classroom (and community)

Michael M Pannwitz mmpanne at snafu.de
Wed Jul 31 04:40:45 PDT 2002


Dear Julie,
having the class (the system, the organization, the business, etc.)
be the sponsor of an open space for the class seems to me to be very
much in the methodology of open space-technology.
Does it take care of the role of the facilitator in the sense that
the facilitator is then also participant?
Well, I doubt it.
If the class is the sponsor they will have to have someone opening
the space in the role of the sponsor...this might be anyone the class
decides on. This person is, of course, also a participant and takes
part in all the open space activities.
The facilitator (which can also be someone from the sponsoring
organisation) introduces the os-technology (the facilitator does not
open the space) and should from my experience under no circumstances
be a participant (since this facilitator is part of the class his
role as facilitator is a temporary one just for the duration of the
open space-technology event).
Having clarity on these different roles improves the quality and
depth of the open space-experience and is a valuable experience for
the one who has the role of facilitator (holding time and space,
which can not be done in the role of participant). Whenever open
space events that I have experienced in some way or another seem not
so "satisfying" as others I could usually trace it in part to
non-clarity of roles.
One other thing I suggest you consider when planning this particular
open space is the title of the open space and who all should
participate so that the things participants want to achieve are
supported.
Probably, they need you as their teacher but perhaps not.
It is very likely that they (traditionally this would be the planning
group) will think of other people such as people that have gone
through the class already etc. Inviting other people increases the
probability of having the "whole system" (or a little bit more of the
system) in the room.
It is very exciting to participate in this discussion...I dream of
attending an open space around this issue ("What can we do to turn
classrooms into open space-events").
Greetings from steaming 90 degrees Fahrenheit Berlin
michael


On Tue, 30 Jul 2002 15:31:40 -0800, Julie Smith wrote:

>> Julie: It might be interesting to get someone else to open the space
>for
>> your class to allow you to participate, like anyone else. You could
>> initiate a discussion about this knowledge that you think you should
>> share...It would be very interesting to see what would happen. Will
>> everyone come to your group? Will some come to hear you and then tell
>> others -- teaching each other? Will no one come to your group? WOW!
>The   > possibilities are endless. I'd like to be there just to see what
>happens!
>
>Double WOW!  Great idea, wendy and fredr'c!  And how 'bout this:  the
>"someone else" opening space could be other members of the class.
>Taking turns opening space would allow all of us the opportunity to
>participate in both roles: as facilitator and as participant.  The
>mostly silent listening/space holding aspect of the facilitator role is
>a nice fit with the mediator role, so whatever role a person landed in
>on a particular day would be full of opportunities to learn and grow.  I
>also like how this idea honors the importance of the role of mostly
>silent space holder while giving everyone an opportunity to also engage
>in the active participant role.
>
>Hmmmmmm....... so simple!  I like it.
>
>Back to brass tacks.  My job is help students learn how to mediate.  I
>can play with that a bit, though..... the theme could be lots of things
>broader and potentially more interesting than merely mediation..... what
>if I asked the class to take on the role of sponsor for the OST?  We
>could talk about what OST is and how it works, and see if they want to
>run the class in OST. If yes, they could define the theme, design the
>invitations, think about space and other things (timeline? food?), and
>decide who to send invitations to (now THAT'S interesting, isn't it?
>Who might they invite and for what reason?) AND.... one of the givens
>could be that students learn how to mediate.  Let them figure out how to
>make happen what they want to happen, given the givens.
>
>If all goes well, we'll all have experienced not just one but two peace
>practices: OST and mediation.  What an amazing set of tools to have
>access to at the ripe young age of high school students.
>
>Julie
>
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Michael M Pannwitz
boscop
Draisweg 1
12209 Berlin, Germany
FON +49 - 30-772 8000     FAX +49 - 30-773 92 464
www.michaelmpannwitz.de

An der E-Gruppe "openspacedeutsch" für deutschsprechende open space-PraktikerInnen interessiert? Enfach eine mail an mich.

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