Hi Nataly et al 1. We ran an Open Space with a large Anglican boys school (100 year history) earlier in the year - about 90 people attended comprised roughly one third parents, one third students and one third staff (whoever comes are the right people and it just happened that this was the way it panned out). I don't have the exact wording of the theme to hand, but it was about building a diverse culture within the school. One day event. Very good feedback. One 12 year old (Year 6) student stepped right into the middle of the circle to convene a conversation on the school becoming co-ed!! 2. I like your idea of an ongoing bulletin board for convening conversations and would suggest that this be done AFTER a major launch event, so that people have been introduced to an experience of OS principles and self organisation. The bulletin board system would be a way of experimenting with how to begin to embed OS principles in the daily life of the school. However, I think you also need to make a decision about whether you are using World Cafe or Open Space as they are rather different systems. 3. I would certainly encourage you do the training with Lisa and maybe get an experienced person in for your launch events as schools (particularly staff) have, in my experience, lots of tradition of command and control thinking and OS is often quite challanging for them (however, it always works!) Good luck - I reckon there are terrific possibilities for OS in schools - children respond to it particularly well. Regards Michael Wood Perth, Western Australia
________________________________ From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of nata marchuk Sent: Wednesday, 1 October 2008 4:18 AM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Open Space in a private school Dear All! I am in the process of thinking through a project of using OST in private school, my children go to. I was so inspired by the OS on OS conference in San Francisco this summer, so I could not stop thinking about this wonderful approach. Our school is small and relatively flexible, and we are looking for ways to effectively communicate ideas, thoughts and concerns that any part of PTA may have. I see it happening in two formats: on-going bulletin board with topics that are interesting for people, providing available rooms for discussion and possible solutions generating on the weekly basis with a "World Cafe" rules. And a big school-wide OS conference 1 or 2 times a year with the help of the outside facilitators. Ideally (in future) I want our children to be able to use this tool for their ideas and concerns! Do any of you know or have an experience of OST working at schools? Can you please share any insights, warnings, ideas and/or support? I am not a OST consultant/facilitator yet, although I am thinking of taking a class with Lisa Heft in SF, and I know that people without proper understanding/skill set can ruin not only one event but appreciation for the OST as a whole for that group. So any critiques is constructive for me, my goal is to learn, learn, learn! Thank you in advance! Warmly yours, Nataly Marchuk Independent Associate Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. Home office: (408) 749-0936 Mobile phone: (408) 420-0095 www.femida-network.com * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist