Ashley...this is a lovely story of learning from inspiration. Our family was in Hawaii during the inauguration, which is where Barak Obama was born, and everyone was so excited there. It was so inspiring that my own kids started reading voraciously on the history of Presidents, and thinking a lot about what Obama was saying and what his election means. It says something that no Prime Minsiter of Canada has yet inspired such a fit of self-organized civics study around our house!<br>
<br>And I'm always struck by the fact that most of the time from kids we hear what the cynical might call "the same old hopes and dreams and wisdom" but the process of birthing a nugget like that yourself is profound. For kids (and other disempowered folks in society) having realizations like this is a profound experience. I am a fan of "reinventing the wheel" a lot of the time, because the process of discovery and invention and creative conversationa and collaboration is just as important as getting the best result, or arriving at a piece of wisdom that is at once new and timeless. Many conversations result in nothing new being realized in terms of the bigger scheme of things (chatterboxes should keep quiet) but it is a profound moment when people arrive at those conclusions themselves. They experience themselves as wisdom keepers, and that is a very useful thing to know about oneself.<br>
<br>Ashely, I am always warmed and moved by your dedication to holding spaces in which people can discover themselves. It is a great, great gift, and I hope you know that, and I hope others know that about you too. <br>
<br>Chris<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 2:14 PM, Thomas Herrmann <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:thomas@openspaceconsulting.com">thomas@openspaceconsulting.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Thanks dear Ashley for this inspiring
posting and for the important work you are doing in the world!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">I have facilitated a few OS-events with
children. I especially remember during a facilitated pre-meeting where we used
a transfer in to start the meeting – one of the children (about 10 years
old) then named what we had on the invitation (the event was about how to
prevent harassement and mobbing at schools in the area). It went something
like: One stick is easy to break but many sticks together are difficult to
break.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Just as employers, teachers were
astonished by the wisdom, engagement and willingness to take responsibility
amongst the kids – and scared maybe too...</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Thanks again for inspiring me – this
is great work!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Warm regards</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Thomas Herrmann, Kungsbacka, Sweden</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"> </span></font></p>
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<div style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;" lang="SV">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
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<p><b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;" lang="SV">Från:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;" lang="SV"> OSLIST [mailto:<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>]
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">För </span></b>ashley cooper<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Skickat:</span></b> den 26 januari 2009 00:20<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Till:</span></b> <a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ämne:</span></b> [OSLIST]
OS with students after Obama's inauguration</span></font><span lang="SV"></span></p>
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<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ready to be inspired?!<br>
<br>
I opened space with 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders after President Obama's
inauguration last week. These kids are amazing.<br>
<br>
Their questions (designed by the three 3rd graders on the planning team):</span></font></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What is something that a group of people working
together can change?</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What is something that you think is important in
our school or in our world that you would like to discuss?</span></font></li>
</ul>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The event started with a poem written by one of the students on the
planning team:<br>
<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our Speech by Mila Kopp</span></b><br>
1 person<br>
to a small group<br>
to a large group<br>
opportunity and ideas and change<br>
together we can make a difference<br>
<br>
And here are some of my favorite comments:</span></font></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">STOP Globle Warming (happy voice) in ten years
(Deep Voice)</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">make a complante to the president</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Invent vical that runs on trash or sun, rain</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nicely tell others to be nice</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Help stop war by traiding reciorses</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you are shy talk</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you are a chatterbox let others have a chance
to speak</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I agree with (another student) that you don't
need that many people, you only need like 5, you don't need like 15 or 20
or 50. You don't need huge numbers like that. </span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I learned that when everyone pitches in just a
little bit, it can make a giant difference. </span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I discovered how pollution can make the air dirty
and hurt people and animals</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I discovered a lot of people have ideas too.</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I discovered that once you think about it, there
is a lot more waste</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I learned it can actually be pretty fun to work
with other people</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Teacher: I learned that you all can have
important conversations by yourselves and that you don't need the adults
there. I also learned that you can self-organize what you want to talk
about.</span></font></li>
<li><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I discovered there is a lot of things to change
and like President Obama, we should start.</span></font></li>
</ul>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You can read more details about these events at : <a href="http://educatingtheheart.blogspot.com/2009/01/together-we-can-make-difference-open.html" target="_blank">http://educatingtheheart.blogspot.com/2009/01/together-we-can-make-difference-open.html</a><br>
<br>
And see pictures here: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37996625142@N01/sets/72157612937722591/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/37996625142@N01/sets/72157612937722591/</a><br>
<br>
I hope to have a video to share some day too... but I have to get permissions
to show their beautiful faces!!<br>
<br>
with gratitude,<br>
Ashley<br>
<br>
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