Doug -- this is a subject we have been around on several times -- and I doubt there ever will be THE ANSWER. But here are some thoughts. First off I would note that Freire is speaking specifically about "educators" -- and certainly in Open Space education (in the deepest sense of that word) does take place. But with a difference from the usual I think. Education in Open Space is something the people do for themselves -- and not something done to them. For me the role of the facilitator is to keep the space open so they can do their job. Does that mean that the facilitator never contributes? Certainly not -- but I always find less is best. This is fortunate, especially when you have 2000 people all speaking German, dealing with a subject beyond my expertise (Wuerzburg).
harrison -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Douglas D. Germann, Sr. Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 12:50 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: A duty to take part? 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 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
