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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Hi, dear Ashley
–</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Ashley wrote of
doing a ‘mini’ Open Space with third-graders.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>You are the
best person for this ! Those young people and their teachers are lucky to
have you.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>As a theme, how
about </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:black'>‘What are the gifts I bring to the world’ or </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:black'>‘What do I want to learn and share with you?’ or</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:black'>‘What things do we do that really make a difference in our
family / our neighborhood / our school / our world?’ or if you really
need it to be school-based,</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:black'>‘What things have I learned in school that help me help
others?’, or…</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>I am giving you
theme ideas when your question was actually ‘<i><span style='font-style:
italic'>could you offer me some questions that would help me (and the teachers)
focus the theme</span></i>?’</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>So let me reply
to that specifically, too. When I work with clients/sponsors on the
theme, I ask what the intent of this meeting is for…</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>(and you’ve
explained that: ‘<i><span style='font-style:italic'>for them to have an
opportunity to deepen connections with one another, expanding their sense of
being ‘a class’, and look forward and reflect upon the first phase
of their school life and what is important for them in this next phase</span></i>.’)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>…and I
would ask them what they imagine a young person might ideally come out of this
feeling / knowing / being able to do.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Then we just
start playing ideas back and forth – for example I’d say the
deepening of connections and expanding a sense of being a class will be
delivered by the Open Space process. The looking forward and reflecting
on the first phase of their school life – I’d ask the teachers what
these third graders might say if you asked them to reflect on their first 3
years of school – what would they remember? I’d guess
favorite teachers, special field trips, an activity or art project they really
enjoyed, being tutored by the older kids, some great friendships formed, and
things like that. (that’s what little Lisa Heft enjoyed, anyway…!).</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>If you and the
teachers really resonate with the kinds of answers you think might come of that,
that will give you some sense if you are close to finding your theme.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Asking the
young people to think about what is important for them in the next phase of
school…what do you and the teachers think they would answer? </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Going to the
big kids’ building, learning a language, sitting in a certain place for
assembly, tutoring the little kids…I’d suspect they might say what
they observe (mostly visually) about the bigger kids. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Do the answers
you and the teachers think of get you excited as you imagine those possible
discussions?</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>I’d also ask
the teachers if this might not be an opportunity to make things a bit broader
than the first 3 and next few years in school. Maybe an opportunity to
ask how the young people feel they have grown? What they want to be and
do? What they want to be and do for their world? Or Harrison’s
invitation to imagine the future, which is not school-specific.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>I don’t know
where that conversation would go with the teachers but you get my idea –
I’d keep delving into what you could ask and what you imagine folks might
bring forth as topics and there will be a point at which you really get excited…and
that may be very close to your theme question…</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>I also vote for
2 20-minute sessions. And if there is any challenge for readers, I think
John’s/Michael’s approach to having people make their topic signs and
walk out to the different discussion areas (tree, flower, fish, chicken, frog,
sun, moon) -- rather than posting them on an agenda wall -- keeps things
visual-graphic-kinesthetic – you could do two rounds of
circle-announce-walk to groups, if it’s all oral, as it can be hard for
the mind to remember more than one round of such things. Just an idea.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>We will all be
there in spirit, Ms. Ashley,</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Lisa</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>___________________________</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue;font-weight:bold'>L
i s a H e f t</span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>Consultant,
Facilitator, Educator</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>O p e n i n
g S p a c e</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'><a
href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net"><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>lisaheft@openingspace.net</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'><a
href="http://www.openingspace.net"><font color=black><span style='color:black'>www.openingspace.net</span></font></a>
</span></font></p>
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