<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document>
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10">
<meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 10">
<link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C20FA1.3FA9F750">
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="country-region"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="State"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PersonName"/>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:DoNotRelyOnCSS/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:SpellingState>Clean</w:SpellingState>
<w:GrammarState>Clean</w:GrammarState>
<w:DocumentKind>DocumentEmail</w:DocumentKind>
<w:EnvelopeVis/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>5.5 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>14.95 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-CA;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-CA;}
span.SpellE
{mso-style-name:"";
mso-spl-e:yes;}
span.GramE
{mso-style-name:"";
mso-gram-e:yes;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 116.0pt 1.0in 116.0pt;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-gutter-margin:1.0in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='tab-interval:.5in'>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt'>I have to share a story while I’m still
vibrating with the excitement and energy.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>(I’ll improve the writing and detail for the next OSI Canada
Newsletter coming out soon).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>I just finished leading a 2.5 day 350 person
Open Space event on “Realizing the Promise of Public Education”
that was wonderful. <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span></span></font><st1:PersonName><font
size=2><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>Judy
Gast</span></font></st1:PersonName><font size=2><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> and </span></font><st1:PersonName><font
size=2><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>Audrey
Coward</span></font></st1:PersonName><font size=2><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> volunteered to give super help
for a topic they cared about.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Some
other folks who have taken OS workshops and facilitate events were there, Eric
Lillis and Louise <span class=SpellE>Pinet</span> as participants and </span></font><st1:PersonName><font
size=2><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>Susan
Langley</span></font></st1:PersonName><font size=2><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> and <span class=GramE>Ruth<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Baumann</span>, both trained
facilitators, were also the sponsors.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>For the past 10 years Public Education has
been under substantial threat in </span></font><st1:State><st1:place><font
size=2><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>Ontario</span></font></st1:place></st1:State><font
size=2><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>,
like in many places.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>What was
touted as one of the best systems in the world has been cut to the bone and
teachers have been taken on buy a government with strong leaning toward a
private system.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>During that time
the Teacher’s Federations have fought among themselves and the umbrella
Ontario Teachers’ Federation has had to substantially downsize (in the
last 6 months).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>In the face of all this there has been a poisoned,
confrontational climate among the stakeholders.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>To begin to address this, the Ontario
Teachers Federation initiated a series of 2.5 hour community forums in
1999.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I was asked to design them and
to train teacher-facilitators to use a process of small group discussions where
teachers listened with no presentations.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>The 38 communities that have held the forums across the province
recruited a diversity of participants to the dialogue – and dialogue not
outcome was the focus.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>As you might
expect, the “outcomes” of those forums, what people have done as a
result of the conversations <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>and
networking have been exciting both for the communities and for the participants,
including the teachers.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>These past few days, OTF held a Provincial
Forum.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Because of the downsizing,
they cut the expectation to 200 participants.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Because of great recruiting 320 people from
across the province came.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>The event began with some presentations, not
my preference but what was necessary for the sponsors.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I then opened and held the space and the
participants self-organized some amazing, healing, joyful, strategic and
momentum building conversations.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>The participants were from across </span></font><st1:State><st1:place><font
size=2><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>Ontario</span></font></st1:place></st1:State><font
size=2><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>:
parents, teachers, administrators, trustees, provincial activists, federation
activists with education, food banks, healthy schools, small business people,
aboriginal education leaders, a few Ministry of Education folks, black
activists, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>For most it was their first experience of
Open Space but they carried with them some of the values and skills from the
Community Forums.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>There was some
attrition by the closing on Saturday morning, as expected, but those who stayed
told of life affirming and changing experiences: healing conversations between
parents and teachers, between those working from different perspectives on how
to move forward, between local union leaders and business people.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>One woman was moved by here community
forum a couple of years ago to run for trustee, and won.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>She described how she was moved by the
Open Space to stand up for her community in ways she could not have imagined.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Students loved it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>It was a delight and another step down a
path.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>More community forums are
planned in areas that have not held them or to take the conversations to a new
level where they have been held.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The
next Provincial Forum in Open Space will be held in a year with a hope to
double the size and it will be right before Provincial Elections.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>It’s a story I needed to tell my
friends this morning.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Thanks.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>Larry<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><st1:PersonName><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'>Larry Peterson</span></font></st1:PersonName><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'>Associates in Transformation<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><st1:place><st1:City><font size=2 face=Arial><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'>Toronto</span></font></st1:City><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-no-proof:yes'>, </span><st1:State><span lang=EN-CA
style='mso-no-proof:yes'>ON</span></st1:State><span lang=EN-CA
style='mso-no-proof:yes'>, </span><st1:country-region><span lang=EN-CA
style='mso-no-proof:yes'>Canada</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'>416.653.4829<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'>larry@spiritedorg.com<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'>www.spiritedorg.com <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-no-proof:yes'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>