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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=609282618-06092005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>Dear Wendy--thank you for your big, courageous, willling
heart. thank you for sharing all this with me. I learn so much from
you and all who share here. I will keep you all posted as I begin to use
Open Space more here on Bowen Island (Chris...I thank God you are here, even if
you're away opening space in some other place, your presence here on Bowen has
already opened so much possibility, so much spaciousness...) And Wendy, I
loved your musings on the role (roll) tape has in our lives as open
space faciilitators!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=609282618-06092005></SPAN><SPAN
class=609282618-06092005></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff>l<SPAN
class=609282618-06092005>ove</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=609282618-06092005></SPAN></FONT></FONT><SPAN
class=609282618-06092005></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff>K<SPAN
class=609282618-06092005>athryn</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=609282618-06092005></SPAN></FONT></FONT><SPAN
class=609282618-06092005></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff>(<SPAN
class=609282618-06092005>sunny Bowen Island)</SPAN></FONT></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Wendy
Farmer-O'Neil<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, September 05, 2005 11:44 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> learning report - OS for 60
teachers in Northern BC Canada (longish)<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hello dear Open
Spacers,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">What follows is my learning report
for my most recent Open Space. The reports will eventually be available on
my website for searching when I get the time to get the @#$#!@# thing (that’s
‘blessed thing’ for those of you who don’t speak wingding…;-) ) fixed up….until
then here it is in full…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">School
District</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-CA> 57- Prince George – Centre
for Learning Alternatives<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Open Space – September 2,
2005<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Theme: Student Success: The Power of Working
Together<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Design Parameters: Short notice (2 days); one day
OS (9:00-4:00); action planning; 60 participants, no helpers, mandatory
attendance.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">How the day ran:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Sponsor contacted me via email one week before the event
was scheduled. Previous speaker had cancelled as second day of two day
professional development conference—sponsor saw this as an opportunity to
introduce OS to the school community. Was able to confirm with sponsor two
days before event and had initial planning conversation of about 30
minutes. Sponsor really wanted to get some action planning in and the day
had to be short (4:00 pm finish). Not a lot of time to work with the
sponsor to create an alternative, so trusted in OS form and created a design for
three breakout session times, a reconvene and reopen to non-convergent action
planning, lightening reports and one-liner closing circle. Flew in and had
a 1 hour working session with the sponsor the night before.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Started at 9:10, by 10:10, the participants had posted
20 topics. Session times were 10:15-11:30. 11:30 -12:45, lunch break from
12:45-1:15, 1:15-2:30. By 2:30 we had both a newswall with 30 pages of
report posted and a gallery of beautiful posters of conversation
highlights. (I decided to go with both, as we had little time for people
to read and the two stations provided space for everyone to get a chance to see
what was going on.) Rang bells at 2:30 to reconvene and shift to action
planning. Asked people to take 10 minutes quiet reflection time to look
for themes, connections or actions that had heart and meaning for them and that
they were willing to champion. Back in circle, they posted eight action
topics. Had conversations for ˝ hour. Back in circle, had lightening
report-in with topic, immediate action, and how to connect if you wanted to help
out—ONLY! For closing circle, asked them to think of one word, one phrase,
or one sentence to express what they had learned about Student Success, working
together, or an AHA moment. We were done by 3:55.
Whew!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Learnings:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Yes, you can do it.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">It is harder without helpers. I spent a lot of
time helping get reports to print and saved onto my flash drive. It would
have been nice to be able to focus just on holding the space. (Not
whining—just wishing ;)—and driving the point into my memory to stress the
importance of technical helpers more.) <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The whole action planning thing has me thinking.
By the end of the third session, the energy is deep and slow—ready for a shift
to reflection/introspection. The shift to action planning felt jarring—and
was a bit confusing for some people. But the grounding effect it had felt
really important. It has me wondering about using the closing round of a
one-day as a grounding tool. I am wondering if a closing round question
can generate the same grounding effect? There is something really special
about people walking away from a day in open space knowing they are personally
responsible for carrying out into the world something precious that was born in
the open space. I could see it in their faces and hear it in their
voices--tremendous excitement about what they had achieved. So while I
know it is a stretch to get action planning into a one day, and work hard to
help sponsors stretch to that extra half day…for the times when that just isn’t
possible, I am beginning to believe that I need to continue to work at a form
that will support the grounding effect of action planning for one day
events. Something that is both graceful and respectful of where
participants are at after a day of meaningful conversation.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I was prepared for some negative reactions, as
attendance was mandatory. Two participants came up to speak with me about
their discomfort in the opening circle. One was shaken up by the
process…she felt something was being done to her…that she was a guinea pig…she
needed pull back from what was happening and write to herself about her
reaction. The other was just plain uncomfortable, from the moment she
walked in. She had to push her chair back and get space and distance—she
found the mike overpowering…the space uncomfortable. I appreciated their
honesty and we had an interesting conversation. Upon initial reflection, I
feel that the fact that they were both able to take care of themselves in the
moment and that they chose to stay, even though both considered leaving…meant
that the space was open enough to include them…as they were and as they needed
to be. I think that the reactions were strong as (although they were both
adamant that they had chosen to come) they had not really chosen freely to
participate in open space—there is a difference between feeling experimented
with and choosing to participate in an experiment—that I believe stems from the
mandatory attendance requirement. They both said that they enjoyed the
rest of the day and found it productive and meaningful.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Never take this amazing thing called Open Space for
granted. Just as those of us who are blessed to live in incredibly
beautiful and safe places sometimes have to remind ourselves of how blessed we
are and work a bit harder to feel again the wonder of where and how we live, I
was reminded again of how rare and precious Open Space is. For this person
here, Open Space just makes sense…it’s of course…it’s obvious. But to the
majority of folks it’s magic, wondrous, the best thing they’ve ever encountered,
wow!…There still aren’t many places out there in the big world where we can step
forward into what has heart and meaning for us and be met with the freedom to
act on it. It is truly a privilege, a blessing and a joy to open
space. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">How do you walk a circle with a wired mike? Is there
some kind of trick? I hope that someone will consider offering a workshop at
OSonOS for those of us less talented/experienced and not used to dragging a
tail….<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Cheers
all,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Wendy<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN lang=EN-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>*
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