A duty to take part?

[Douglas D. Germann, Sr.]

Hi--

In _The Paulo Freire Reader_ is a challenging new insight for me into what
we are about:

This is the new point for me, the facilitator must not withhold what
knowledge he or she has: has in fact a duty to share, so that the inquiry
might be carried forward. The facilitator is learner, too. A co-learner, a
co-facilitator.

Freire (p 221): "Educators cannot refrain from putting forward ideas, nor
can they refrain either from engaging in discussion with their students on
the ideas they have put forward. Basically, this has to do with the near
mystery of the praxis of educators who live out their democratic insights:
they must affirm themselves without thereby disaffirming their students."

Democratic in this excerpt has for me the same meaning as opening space:
Whoever comes, Whatever happens, and the unvoiced Whoever speaks has an
equal claim to being heard.

So what does this say about our trying to stay neutral, to staying out of
the discussions, to how we understand what it means to "hold space?"

It means I can take part, I might in fact have a duty to take part, but I
have to be careful that it does not result in people taking me to be the
authority. So my work needs to be questioning, questioning myself as much
as concepts, stating through my questioning that I do not have answers, but
am a seeker with them. There needs to be a way to proceed without shutting
down the procession! So go slow, interject only little.

Ask questions, in an attitude of exploration. Do not direct, but do say
what I have seen of the terrain.

What do you think?

                              :-Doug. Germann

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